


Passing Ships

by scrappymitchell



Series: bechloesaga [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Humour, Post Pitch Perfect 3, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-04-06 07:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 81,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14051691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrappymitchell/pseuds/scrappymitchell
Summary: Beca and Chloe have been hiding their feelings from each other for years for their own reasons, but when Beca see's Chloe finally starting to move on in front of her very eyes she realises how she has messed up on the most important thing in her life and now has to deal with going back to New York and living with Chloe, who now has a boyfriend. The question she now asked herself was if this will make her shut her feelings off for good or will it push her over the edge to blurt her feelings out?- takes place after pp3 -





	1. Chapter 1

She had been signed by DJ Khaled’s label, she was going to be having a bright and very successful future ahead of her. She just performed one of the biggest and most important performances of her life and yet she felt sick to her stomach the minute her eyes had to witness Chloe kiss Chicago Walp.

 

She felt like this was coming, throughout their whole time in being here. Beca could just feel that Chloe was getting close to him, no matter how close they had been over the years. No matter how much Beca felt like there was a chance for her to build up the courage and finally take that step forward in admitting her feelings, something got in the way. And for it to be _this,_ truly crushed her. She had no one but to blame but herself when she really thought about it, she and Jesse had been over pretty much straight after college.

 

It wasn’t really the distance, that’s what she told everybody. Sure the 3000 mile distance was a struggle and it didn’t help, but that wasn’t the main reason. They broke up because Jesse had always felt like there was something between Beca and Chloe, especially in the final year he felt that something, then when he heard that they were living together. The something he felt grew into something more and when Beca didn’t try to convince him otherwise because then she would be lying to herself _and_ to Jesse, they decided to break up. Thankfully there was no bad blood and if anything he was rooting for her.

 

So it seemed she broke up with her boyfriend all for nothing because she was a fucking coward in letting a girl know that she loved her. Beca then asked herself why the fuck she was still stood in front of them watching when she was literally feeling insanely nauseous, watching him dip her like it was some fifties movie. So cheesy and cringe but also something she was envious of. Because it was Chloe he was doing it with.

 

Usually what made her nauseous was when Theo came towards her, but this time she was actually thankful for him doing that cause he was her excuse to get out of this situation by going off to talk some business.

 

Theo glanced back to Chloe and Chicago as they walked over to the air hanger where the after party was being held, keeping in theme with the whole USO and everything, he looked back to Beca “Beca. You okay?”

 

“Why wouldn’t I be? I just signed to a major record deal”

 

“It’s just you seem a little _off_ ”

 

Beca smirked and huffed a laugh as she wittingly replied “Cause you know me so well within this short period of time”

 

Theo then shrugged “Just trying to be a friend”

 

Beca looked to him and shrugged, trying not to sound too harsh but it came across as that all the same “I’ve already got my friends. They just sang up on that stage with me” she looked over and saw them all stood together with their drinks in their hands and nodded to them “And I’ve got them right there so excuse me”

 

She didn’t give him time to try and charm her because he couldn’t charm his way out of a paper bag with her, she just walked straight ahead and just thought of one thing. Alcohol, alcohol fixes all wounds, for a temporary amount of time that is but temporary was something she would take right now.

 

Beca walked over to the beer keg and got herself a drink before walking over to the group, raising her cup and saying in a breathless voice “We rocked it guys”

 

They all noticed how she drank down her beer pretty quickly which was a rarity unless something was bugging her, but what could be possibly bugging her right now? She just did one of the best performances in her bella _career_ if it can be called that. Emily bumped her elbow against hers “Hey you okay?”

 

“Jesus I’m great” Beca effused, whether it was convincing or not was a different question. Aubrey then looked around “Where’s Chloe? You guys went off stage together?”

 

Beca nodded as she looked down to her empty cup “Yeah we did but she’s occupied right now”

 

Cynthia then raised a brow “With what?”

 

Beca let out a sharp breath and quickly muttered out, still avoiding eye contact “Making out with Chicago-I’m going to grab another beer” without even looking at the group, she made her way back over to the keg.

 

The girls all looked to each other. They all knew that feelings were there. They certainly knew on Chloe’s part, Chloe told Aubrey first about her feelings for Beca more in a breakdown after she had to watch her and Jesse get together, now it all seemed rather ironic. As the years went on the rest of the girls knew, whenever Beca wasn’t there Chloe would tell them how much it was killing her. She couldn’t do anything about it because she was with Jesse and she wasn’t that type of person to go and try to screw up her friends happiness on the odd chance that Beca felt the same. Which she always hoped for but never believed.

 

Beca on the other hand never told anyone about her feelings, no one apart from Jesse during their break up. But everyone knew there was something there. _Just friends_ don’t act the way they have been acting with each since the day they met. Beca on the other hand did feel that Chloe felt the same, but it was taking that risk of losing her altogether that scared her so much that she never tried to go forward with anything. Now it really came to bite her back on the ass, tip toeing around feelings clearly never worked.

 

She stood by the table of booze and cups for a moment, trying to just regain her composure, she then saw Emily come behind her in the corner of her eye. She cleared her throat “So. Chloe and Chicago”

 

Beca nodded, running her tongue across her top set of teeth “Yep, bit of a hollywood cliche but hey she’s clearly happy”

 

Emily rolled her eyes without Beca noticing and grabbed for a drink, Beca held her finger up and looked to her as she pointed “You’re not twenty one until November”

 

“You remember my birthday?”

 

Beca nodded and stated boldly “I love you, kid. Course I do”

 

Emily smiled and then raised her brows “Are you seriously not going to let me have a beer?”

 

Beca then suddenly realised what she was doing and quickly dropped her hand as she looked away from her “Go nuts”

 

Emily looked to her as she reached for her drink and sighed “Look. Beca if you need to talk”

 

Beca’s head snapped to her, not knowing what to say at first, as she was pulling on the keg she shook her head “What? _What_ I’m-”

 

“Beca” Emily pulled her cup back quickly before it overflowed. Beca looked down and sighed, taking her hand off the lever and sighing as she sucked the beer from her finger and then took the cup back from Emily. Emily shook her head “That’s what I mean”

 

“I’m just a little dazed, y’know. It’s been a long, crazy night” Beca then looked over as she heard some of the soldiers hollar, then seeing that their esteemed leader had returned. And Chloe was holding his _fucking_ hand. That time when she was hanging in the air at the retreat and thinking she was gonna die (dramatic but still), she actually thought she was going to die from this, this was actually going to give her a stroke and kill her.

 

This beer sure as hell went down quicker than the last one, Emily looked to her and frowned “Beca slow down, I know you’re hurting”

 

“Hurting? What’re you talking about _hurting_?”

 

Emily just gave her a look. A look that was a nonverbal way of saying _come on_ , _quit playing dumb_. Beca just bit her lip and looked over to Chloe, seeing her make her way over to the Bellas. Looking happy. And she hated herself for being disappointed that she seemed happy, she daren’t to go over yet because she knew the girls would be grilling her with questions about it all.

 

Beca shrugged and put her hand in the young girl’s again “Leave it alone”

 

Emily nodded, letting it be for now “Okay. You’re right” she turned as she went to walk back over to the group but quickly said before doing so “For the record, she’s known and been attracted to him for a few weeks...she’s been attracted and in love with you for the past six years”

 

Beca didn’t respond, she just bit down on her lip and kept her eyes shut for a moment or two. As far as Beca knew no-one could know that for sure, it was just what everyone presumed about Chloe. Shaking her head and trying to shrug it off for now as she reached for the keg again and poured herself another beer. As she turned to actually make her way back to the group, Chloe came running over. Squealing as she put her arm around Beca’s neck “Tonight has been amazing hasn’t it?”

 

Beca nodded, looking down to her cup and trying to be as neutral about it as possible “Yeah it has been...hey I saw you and Chicago having a little moment” she faked a smile “Something going on there I take it?”

 

Chloe looked to her, looking at the girl she had dreamt of being with since they met at that Barden stall. But she couldn’t wait for Beca Mitchell forever, and she did like Chicago, maybe he was her chance to move on. Chloe grinned and shrugged “Who knows. I mean when you saw the moment you meant the kiss right?”

 

 _Kill me dead_ Beca muttered in her mind before nodding “That’s the one”

 

“Yeah well, it was pretty convincing to pursue in something. And he is insanely cute, in both the looks and personality department”

 

_I hope my beer has poison in it_

 

Beca took in a breath and grinned to her as she lifted her cup “Well hell yeah, i’ll drink to that”

 

A part of Chloe broke, she was told herself _that was that_. If Beca really had feelings for her then she would have said something right now, she told herself that if she really had feelings for her she would have so much fear in missing her chance with her that she would just grab her right now and tell her that he isn’t the guy for her, it was her she was meant to be with. But instead Beca raised her cup.

 

Cause she was dumb as hell in the sharing of feelings part of her like, especially when it was something as big as love. If there was ever a sign to move on, Chloe saw it as this. Chicago wasn’t afraid in sharing his feelings for her, and having someone be so open and honest with her about feelings was something she hasn’t had in years, it was refreshing and sweet. So why not take the chance she might have with him.

 

Chloe filled up a cup and raised her cup against hers before they took a sip, this time Beca didn’t drink it down fast because she had to look like she was actually okay. Chloe looked across the way to Theo who was stood with Khaled and raised a brow to Beca “Speaking of something going on. You and-”

 

“Turtle man” Beca raised a brow as she took a sip of hear beer, listening to heavenly sound that was Chloe’s laughter and then just shook her head “Chloe I didn’t give him that nickname out of some kind of endearment. You’ve seen him, I think he means well but the guy’s a moron”

 

Chloe laughed as she looked to him, seeing how he was looking over and she nodded, taking her eyes back to Beca “And that eye contact thing isn’t going away anytime soon”

 

“I’m not going to be able to deal with that all too well in working with him”

 

Chloe then looked at her in a more mushy way, Beca seeing it tried to hide the fact that her heart fluttered and pulled it off pretty well “What is it Chlo? You’re making that puppy face again”

 

“I’m just so proud of you” Chloe put her arm around Beca’s neck once again and pulled her close, pressing her lips against Beca’s temple.

 

_Don’t pull away quick, don’t pull away quick_

 

Beca closed her eyes for a moment as she made the action. Suddenly almost feeling like crying, the times she’s done this before she never got emotional. But now, knowing that she may have lost her for good, it made her want to physically collapse to the floor. A feeling she has never had over someone before.

 

Chloe pulled away after a long moment, she too wanted it to last a little. Almost like a goodbye to the chances too. She rubbed Beca’s arm as she pulled away “My best friend is going to be a big time star”

 

“Should’ve been you but we won’t get into that again”

 

“Hey if you ever want some backing vocals i’m your girl”

 

_I wish you were_

 

Beca cleared her throat and gave her a tight smile “Trust me, Chlo. It’s already noted” she looked over to the bellas and nodded her head over to them “We better go make this night count huh, last party with the bellas. At least for a good while anyway”

 

“Yeah” Chloe said in a light sigh as they walked over to the group “We all go back to our lives soon enough”

 

Beca nodded. They are all going to go back to New York and with Amy being a multi millionaire she was certainly going to move out, and with Beca being part of this record label she was going to able to get an actual apartment not the broom closet she was staying in now and the same for Chloe in being a vet. They were all going to move out, of course it had to happen eventually, Beca and Chloe came to the agreement of getting that apartment together to survive in the city whilst trying to get their jobs underway and Amy then tagged along.

 

It might not happen right away but now it was going to happen. Both of them dreaded it and dreamt they would always end up living together in a _less_ platonic way but now that vision was slipping.

 

And Beca hated every waking minute of that reality.

* * *

 

 

She tried not to think about it for the rest of the night, she focused on having a good time and thankfully they didn’t do that annoying thing in acting like they were this completely in love couple after that one kiss.

 

She did unfortunately see a few more kisses between them as the night went on but it was nothing that she couldn’t escape from in the crowd of people. Beca woke up the next morning to a knock on the door, opening it up and seeing Chloe stood there with two coffees in her hand.

 

Beca groaned as she rubbed her tired face and walked back over to her bed “Why do you look so alive” she dropped her face back down into her pillow.

 

“You were drinking a lot more than you usually do last night” Chloe stated in a perky tone as she shut the door behind her with the heel of her shoe and took the coffees over to the bedside table.

 

Beca shrugged and spoke in a muffled voice with her face still pressed up against the pillow “Yeah well. It was a big night”

 

Chloe nodded and held out a cup in front of her “Do you want it or not?”

 

Beca took in a breath before dragging her body up from the mattress and took the coffee, she sat up and rested her back against the headboard, knees up to her chest as she took gentle care of the sweet coffee in her hands that hopefully would make her head feel a bit more settled, she looked to Chloe and muttered as she took the beverage to her lips “Thanks”

 

Chloe gave her a tight smile as a moment of silence fell with them both taking a drink, Beca then shook her head to get the hair out of her eyes as she asked as casually as possible “So. You enjoyed last night?”

 

“You kidding? It was amazing, all of it. No faults”

 

Beca nodded as she tapped her finger against the cup, then shrugging “Did you and Chicago hookup or anything?” she didn’t look at her right away, only when she heard her exhale and saw her shake her head “No”

 

_Good sign_

 

Beca cleared her throat “So it was kinda just a little summer romance make out? Very high-school, Chloe”

 

Chloe rolled her eyes and swatted Beca’s foot “Shut up. I’m not rushing into anything”

 

Beca choked on her coffee for a moment in a laugh “What do you mean _not rushing into anything_ we leave for New York in a few hours”

 

Chloe just bit her lip before taking a suggestive sip of her coffee. Beca stared at her as her mind began to piece together what exactly was being suggested “Oh for the love of god. You’re going to start dating?”

 

“Why do you say it like that?”

 

This had nothing to do with her feelings, Beca genuinely thought this was a pretty dumb idea, she raised her brows “Uh. Chlo, talk about throwing yourself in the deep end, dating a guy in the army...it’s not like you even met him outside his work...looking after the bellas were practically his mission of the past few weeks”

 

“Look” Chloe put her coffee on the side and shuffled back onto the bed, taking her eyes back to Beca “I know it’s not exactly the most conventional way to start dating someone in this situation”

 

“Uh huh”

 

“But I like him” Chloe said gently.

 

_Cue the stroke_

 

Beca took in a breath and nodded “Yeah. I can see that, and I can see that he likes you. It’s just not going to be easy for you, you don’t really know him enough to deal with it”

 

“But I do like him enough”

 

_I get it, you fucking like him. Why don’t you just have sex with him in front of me-actually no, oh god I just gave myself that mental picture I hate my dumb miserable life_

 

Beca gave her a supportive smile which was all she really could do and put her hand on Chloe’s arm “Then I’m happy for you”

 

Chloe gripped onto her hand “Thanks, Beca. You like him right?”

 

_If wanting to punch him in the face a bunch of times to try and make him ugly means I like him then I fucking adore him_

 

Beca shrugged “I mean he and I haven’t exactly talked to each other and stuff on a personal level like you guys have but yeah, he’s a good guy”

 

“Yeah he is”

 

Usually Beca could talk to Chloe for hours and has done that many times in the past but right now she just wanted this particular conversation to be over as soon as humanly possible before she explodes out of pure jealousy and self hatred for once again being a dumbass.

 

She looked to her phone and quickly began to segway “I better start getting my ass up and get dressed for some breakfast” she got off the bed after putting her coffee on the side and walked over to her drawers “Are the rest of the girls up?”

 

“I’m not sure”

 

“Be a lamb and go check. If they are we can all go grab breakfast”

 

Chloe nodded to her and smiled as she headed to the door “Good idea, I’ll see you in about twenty”

 

Beca just nodded without looking up to her and when she heard the door close she let out a deep breath. Covering her eyes with her palm as she felt her bottom lip go. She took another breath to try and keep her composure but if anything it slipped even more as it began to shake. She’d rather have heard Chloe say that she and Chicago did hook up last night as a whole holiday romance thing but instead she had to listen to Chloe talk about how much she likes this guy and how she plans on dating him.

 

Dating him.

 

“Oh fuck” Beca said breathlessly with bitterness in the back of her tone as she shut the drawer harder than she anticipated, she threw her chosen clothes on the bed and put her hands on her hips, looking down to the floor. Her face scrunching up as she damned to herself. Was it too early for a drink? Cause she felt like the only way she could get rid of this god forsaken pain was to drown it out.

 

She looked to the door where Chloe was stood just a minute ago, wondering she said out loud right now that she loved her if Chloe was still at close enough range to hear it. But that kind of shit only happened in the movies. She then thought about how Chloe did seem genuinely happy. Maybe Chicago could make her happier than she could. Maybe this was meant to happen if fate and karma was a thing. So maybe she deserved to lose her to someone else as karma for being so closed up about her feelings.

 

Beca didn’t know whether she was trying to tell herself this to make her feel better or worse but either way she still felt like shit so she was either failing or succeeding.

 

She didn’t want anyone to think she was moping around or even hungover so she got dressed as quickly as possible and met the girls down in the lobby exactly fifteen minutes afterwards, they had to hang around for Amy and Emily a little while longer but they still all went over to get their breakfast, it feeling very much like having a last meal together. For now at least anyway. Instead of making a toast with champagne, Chloe found it possible to make a toast with cups of coffee. Getting all emotional and stuff again, they just let her do as she pleased, it was pretty endearing especially knowing it was the last in a way.

 

They tried to make it last as much as possible. Amy leaned back to Beca and muttered “So what was with you last night, boozy?”

 

Beca rolled her eyes “Am I not allowed to get drunk?”

 

“No you are it’s just...you _never_ get that drunk. I felt like I was out ranked”

 

She glanced over to Chloe and just shrugged “Guess the whole celebration thing just went to me head-dude I don’t know I just let loose more”

 

It was a good job she got this deal with Khaled because it was literally the best excuse she had for getting that drunk. Not the fact that she is burying her deepest secret of the fact that she was completely in love with her best friend and even the thought now of her and Chicago made her breakfast feel like it was going to come back up.

 

Amy just shrugged it off anyway “With my money and your inevitable money. We can do it together! And often”

 

Beca snorted “I don’t know about that”

 

“That’s what they all say” Amy said as she turned her head back to the group. Beca looked to Chloe again, seeing how she was glancing to her phone. The thoughts running through her mind and telling her that it must be Chicago.

 

Chicago and his stupid perfect eyes and hair. Fuck that guy.

 

She tried to go on with the time they had left without thinking about things too much, luckily the girls were a good distraction for that. They just hung around the hotel for the rest of the day until they had to go back up in their room and grab their cases to get ready for the coach to take them to the airport.

* * *

 

 

They came downstairs and outside to the front entrance and saw Chicago waiting there. They all walked down as Emily addressed him “Hey. You the goodbye committee?”

 

Chicago let out a breathless laugh and took his shades off “Yeah, I figured I couldn’t let you guys go without saying goodbye, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you all”

 

They all returned the exchange in unison.

 

Chicago looked to Beca, pressing his palms together and pointed to her as he said with sincerity “Good luck”

 

Beca just smiled to him and hummed as she nodded as some kind of gratitude.

 

_Choke._

 

He helped them all get their cases in the back of the coach and one by one he said goodbye to them. Beca walked on the couch, going to the back and seeing out the window Chloe holding back with him, which wasn’t a big surprise.

 

Chicago had his hands on her arms, standing close together as he gently rubbed her. Their foreheads were merely an inch apart as they spoke. Chloe did look upset, genuinely upset to part ways with him. Beca assumed he cracked some kind of joke to lighten the mood as she saw the smirk on his face as she lightly laughed. Chloe had her back to her but she could tell she was grinning.

 

She watched as Chicago put his finger under Chloe’s chin and lifted her head, she then had to look away but not fast enough to know he was in fact leaning in for a kiss. Beca just closed her eyes and groaned under her breath. Pushing her forehead into her palm. Must that happen every time she’s spying?

 

Chloe got on the coach _eventually_. Beca watched her as she came to the seat beside her, although her eyes were still outside to him, she pressed her fingertips against her mouth and then motioned her hand to him.

 

_Blowing a kiss are you fucking kidding me?_

 

Beca kept her eyes down to her phone up until Chloe sat down next to her with a piece of paper in her hand, she eyed her up “And that is? What exactly?”

 

“He wrote me something” Chloe shrugged.

 

Beca cleared her throat and let out a scoff as she muttered “The hell is this, _Dear John_?”

 

Chloe looked to her “Hm?”

 

“I said nice” Beca lied as she stirred in her seat. Chloe didn’t question it, she didn’t read the little love letter he wrote her either, she put it in her bag for later.

 

Beca saw Chloe wipe her cheek in the corner of her eye and looked to her. As much as she was hating the fact that Chloe was crying over a guy she was crying nonetheless and she was her friend first and foremost. Beca put her hand on her arm “You okay?”

 

“Yeah” Chloe sighed, then letting out a shrug “I mean it’s not like I won’t see him again, right? I mean he said when he next goes on leave he’s going to come to New York”

 

_Choke choke choke._

 

Beca cleared her throat and plastered on a tight smile “So you’re now dating a soldier? Mature”

 

Chloe smiled, nearly blushing as she shrugged “I guess”

 

Beca gave her another smile and then turned away. As soon as Chloe’s eyes went elsewhere she allowed her face to drop again.

 

It was one thing having to deal with the Chicago and Chloe pain train whilst overseas it was going to be another thing entirely dealing with it when she got back home.

* * *

 

**hope you enjoyed this first chapter, more to come.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thanks to everyone who has left kudos and comments on the first chapter, keep them coming!

When getting back to New York. Beca started work at Khaled’s studio which was Downtown, just a few subway stops away but for now she could cope from her apartment. The thing she was struggling to cope with was Chloe.

 

It wasn’t like in the movies when the girl is dating the guy who’s in the army. It wasn’t like _Dear John_ where they were only able to communicate through letters. Oh no, there were phones and _Skype_. Wow she never thought she would hate Skype so much.

 

Then she felt bad for thinking that cause it made her sound like a complete hypocrite, when she and Jesse tried to make it work Skype was like their best friend. But clearly when the shoe is on the other foot it sure as hell is uncomfortable. Because he wasn’t exactly around, she tried to talk to him as much as possible, which was understandable. This wasn’t exactly the usual dating situation.

 

For the first few weeks in being back, Beca was glad that she just didn’t have to deal with it all solo with Amy still living there for awhile but she finally went forward in moving, she started looking at apartments. Plus side is, Beca didn’t have to share a bed with Chloe anymore which usually she didn’t mind _at all_ but with it now being her lay there whilst Chloe was either texting, writing or even on facetime to Chicago. She now needed her own space for her own sanity. The downside is that she was going to be solo in all of this, Amy said that Beca could move in with her but she knew Chloe was still sad everything was ending and she couldn’t do that to her yet.

 

As much as she hated the situation she was now in, she still loved Chloe too much to let her down in anyway shape or form. She may be loves bitch but at least she had enough pride to admit it to herself. But what Beca did give into with Amy was helping her find a good place. Well, Amy had already picked it out and she for sure was going to get it no matter what Beca thought but she went anyway.

 

It was an apartment just on the corner of Beca’s work which she was jealous of. It was big bold, very modernised and _very_ Amy. Beca really wanted a loft though and hopefully soon enough she could afford one. The view from the apartment was “Awesome” Beca put her hands in her jeans as she looked out “Totally freaking awesome”

 

“I know right? Think all the parties I can have. This place is gonna be aca-bitchin”

 

“We really need to let the aca phrases go” Beca muttered as she turned back around, then raising her brows to Amy “We are in our mid twenties”

 

“Can’t shake it off” Amy stated as she shook her shoulders “Just sticks”

 

Beca just nodded and looked around some more “Well it’s a damn good place, Amy. It’s right near the label so we can still y’know” she shrugged “Get some coffee and stuff”

 

“Or you could just move in” Amy took another chance, to which Beca sighed at, frowning as her eyes closed and she turned away again “Amy not this again I’ve told you I can’t just leave Chloe”

 

“You mean you don’t want to leave Chloe”

 

Beca looked over to Amy and after a moment of silence with her staring, she shrugged it off and said casually “I guess. She’d be cut up if we all just split straight away”

 

“So you’re going to carry on living with Chloe even though everytime she talks to Chicago you want to have a bowl of broken glass to eat”

 

Beca was stunned for a moment, not knowing where Amy was going with this. What it was that she was suggesting. She just squinted slightly “Um-”

 

“Beca don’t even do your moody distant thing where you pretend I have no idea what I’m talking about” Amy rambled.

 

“But for the hell of it why don’t you try and explain it anyway” Beca shrugged, Amy didn’t mess around and said as she dropped down onto the arm of the coach “You seriously don’t think that we don’t know you and Chloe have been chasing around each other ever since you started with the bellas”

 

Beca bit her lip and scoffed a small laugh, looking away once again. She went to say something but found stuck. Her eyes slowly went back to Amy who remained silent up until that point and added in a more gentle voice “You love her”

 

Beca’s breath subtly got caught in her throat, looking down to the floor and shaking her head, going to deny it again like Amy pretty much predicted. She just bit down on her lip again and remained silent, which spoke for itself. She scraped her fingers through the side of her hair and let out a heavy breath through her nose as she looked out of the window again, she dropped her hand back down, slapping it back against her thigh “There a point to this?”

 

“You not denying it?” Amy smirked, raising a brow.

 

Beca looked back to her and let out a breathless laugh, shrugging “Look whether I do or not have feelings for Chloe doesn’t matter”

 

“What’re you talking about! Chloe has been in love with you from the beginning!”

 

Beca’s brows pinched to her “Amy what are you talking about? You can’t just assume-”

 

“She told us” Amy blurted “I mean she _was_ drunk but the next morning she told us she was telling the truth”

 

_WHAT. THE. FUCK._

 

“When the hell was this?” she shrieked. It was the first time she had heard about it. Amy shrugged as she casually thought back as if it was no big deal “Like... _uhh_...five or four years ago”

 

“Five or four _years_ ago!”

 

“Something like that”

 

“And no one thought to tell me?”

 

“Beca it wasn’t our secret to tell _and_ you were with Jesse. Chloe didn’t want to mess that up so she buried it”

 

Beca closed her eyes and put her hand on her forehead as she closed her eyes for a moment. That part she understood, _that_ part she could relate to because it’s something she was doing right now, she ran her hand down the front of her face before she said in a quick babble “Yeah. I get that...I can only blame myself I mean Jesse was partly me trying to bury my feelings for her I mean I loved him but I don’t think I was in love with him I was in love with her, I still am”

 

She then realised that _that_ was the first time she said she was in love with her out loud. It made her jaw drop at the self realisation, then looking to Amy and saw her jaw practically on the floor. Beca sighed and shook her head “Amy you can’t say anything”

 

“I won’t! Like I said this whole thing isn’t anyone's secret to tell but you and her. But now that’s it out tell her! Make _Bhloe_ happen”

 

“Would you knock it off with the Bhloe thing. And no I’m not going to tell her are you crazy?”

 

“But i just-”

 

“I know what you’ve just told me, I hear you. But Chloe kept her mouth shut whilst I was with Jesse because she didn’t want to screw up me being happy or whatever, now I have to do the same”

 

“Beca she’s only known the guy for like two months”

 

“Yeah and she’s pretty damn taken with him” Beca muttered bitterly as she looked to the side for a moment.

 

“Nowhere near as taken as she has been with you! She’s not going to be in love with him! And she can’t fall out of love with you, she’s had them feelings even when she kissed him”

 

Beca took in a breath. All this was quite hard to take in. Amy stood up and walked over to her “Like I said. Secret is safe with me, key up my bum and everything you know how it goes”

 

Beca huffed one small _exhausted_ laugh as she kept her eyes to the window and looked back to Amy as she heard her say “But let me just tell you. You can keep your mouth shut and the two of you can just pass each other by like some really tragic and gay romeo and juliet _or_ you can be honest”

 

There was something in the back of Beca’s mind that has always told her no. Even before Chicago. Fear or something like that telling her that she would screw it up with Chloe and that would be the end of their everything, it scared the shit out of her. Beca took a long shrug and whispered “I don’t know”

 

“You can let her go off with this guy and risk her _eventually_ falling for him... _or_ you can get everything you’ve wanted since you were eighteen”

 

Beca stared at Amy for a little while longer, she felt her eyes beginning to prickle.

 

 _Oh fuck no, not here_  

 

She cleared her throat and took a step away “I gotta get to work”

 

“But you have the day off?”

 

_Stupid Amy and her good memory._

 

“Yeah but I have to pick something up”

 

“Hm” Amy nodded with a suspicious look on her face “What?”

 

“My dignity” Beca stated boldly as she marched for the elevator. Wanting to get out of this apartment and this conversation as soon as possible.

 

It was now official that Chloe had been in love with her for years. The thought that had always battled with her had come to its conclusion. But now that she knew, it just made things a whole lot worse. Suddenly she hated apartment hunting.

* * *

 

Beca got back to the apartment to find Chloe dancing in their small kitchen whilst drying the plates, in a pair of her cotton grey _short_ shorts and a tank top.

 

_Man, if I wasn’t gay before_

 

Beca put her keys on the table as a way of making her presence known. Chloe turned around, letting out a breathless grin “Hi”

 

“Hey, enjoying yourself a little too much?”

 

Chloe looked over her shoulder to the dishes and laughed, she let out a shrug “Try to make the fun out of boring stuff” she put the plate that was now perfectly clean and dry back to it’s home “How was the apartment?”

 

“Big” Beca muttered with a laugh “Bold. I can see how Amy is going to make it her own”

 

“I can’t wait for all the parties she’s going to have there” Chloe grinned. Beca could see her planning all the playlists already “You guys were gone for a while”

 

Beca looked to her and opened her mouth to try and come up with a good enough reason for it, she just shrugged “Yeah well y’know Amy likes to really show all assets of the place. Every _nook and cranny_ and all”

 

“Course” her phone then went off and she grinned, practically squealed “It’s Chicago”

 

Beca cleared her throat as she took off her jacket and tossed on her bed, muttering under her breath “Considering he’s a soldier he has a lot of damn time on his hands”

 

Chloe picked up “Hi baby”

 

_That hurts_

 

“I’m just doing things around the apartment so I’ll put you on speaker”

 

_Oh god no, please no_

 

But she did, she put him on speaker so Beca could hear his dumb voice for herself. So she could hear their mushy fucking conversation. What did she do to deserve this honestly.

 

_“Oh, it’s so good to hear your voice”_

 

Beca, with her back turned, couldn’t help but say in a silent voice “You speak _all_ the fucking time”

 

“I know I’ve just been stressed”

 

_“Yeah? How’s the job?”_

 

Beca looked around for something to block this all out. She first tried to distract the situation by getting changed. She did see Chloe glance to her as she removed her shirt but the woman was only human and she was still attracted to her of course.

 

She got in her slouch wear and then grabbed her laptop. Laptop, headphones and spotify were going to be her best friend for the time being. Still, even when she had the sound blocking out, she couldn’t help but see and even watch Chloe’s smile and laugh as she was speaking to him. Looking so happy it was depressing.

 

She used to make her that happy. It would actually be wrong of her to assume that she no longer did, but she was angry with herself because she wasn’t making her happy in the way he was. She practically saw the butterflies go off in Chloe’s stomach when she saw that he was calling. Did she get that when she rang?

 

She was on the laptop long enough that her headphones were beginning to hurt her ears, she had no choice but to take them off, luckily by the time this happened it sounded like Chloe was wrapping up the conversation. She was sat at the table yet _still_ had him on loud speaker. Beca took her headphones off to hear “No, you hang up”

 

_This is hell. No you hang up. Why is this teenage cliche happening right now?_

 

“ _No you”_

 

Beca quietly cleared her throat as she got up from the bed to stretch her legs out, looking to Chloe and seeing her roll her eyes with a grin “On three” she looked to Beca and put her finger to her lips. Beca trying to bury her hatred of the situation and motioned zipping her lips though her expression was still a subtle way of wanting to combust.

 

It got to three and surprise surprise. Neither of them hung up.

 

“You didn’t hang up either!” she looked to Beca and repeated in a giggle, which Beca mocked “Shocker” She was being passive aggressive, hoping that Chloe would realise that but nope, she didn’t.

 

Beca took in a breath, making her way to the kitchen and coming towards the table where the phone was. Hearing them go back and forth to the _‘No you hang up’_ gag again at a painful rate.

 

“You! You!-”

 

Not even thinking or being able to take it Beca pushed down on the hang up button as she went past whilst still carrying on to the kitchen. Chloe’s jaw dropped and she turned to Beca who didn’t even stop what she was doing, she put the kettle on and glanced to Chloe over her shoulder, saying casually “Sorry. Were you not talking to me?”

 

Chloe stared at her for a little moment longer and then just let out a laugh “You’re such an idiot”

 

“Believe me I know” Beca mumbled as she turned back to the cabinet and took out a mug.

 

“I’ll just call him back” Chloe, standing up and walking onto her side of the room through the clothing rack. After a few moments, Beca heard her talking to him once again.

 

Pushing down her anger into her tiny little body, she closed the cabinet door with her forehead.

* * *

 

Amy gave Beca one last offer for her to move out with her and once again Beca said no despite her slowly going insane. The last time she asked, Beca saw that Chloe overheard and she went into a deep panic _“You’re moving out? You didn’t say anything to me? Oh my god! You can’t leave!”_ then those big blue eyes began to fill up it was just torture for her to see and took her a few moments to shut her up so she can assure her she wasn’t leaving. Especially after that, how could she?

 

So she gave the final answer of no and Amy was officially moved out within the next two weeks since she and Beca went to check out the apartment. Beca now had her own bed and thank the lord for that.

 

Beca shut the door behind Amy as she left and turned to Chloe “Just you and me now, Beale”

 

Chloe grinned to her before nodding her head to the now cleared mattress “You get your own space now and everything”

 

“Yeah” Beca mumbled as her eyes went over to the bed. She was glad to have the space for sanity reasons but for emotional reasons she was going miss sharing a bed, she then huffed before she simpered “You got no one to spoon _mid sleep_ anymore now”

 

Chloe always said it was mid sleep but it was always on purpose. Chloe always just wanted to hold her, a part of her still does. But _no_. Chloe smiled and said in a light sigh “Yeah. Well I can last two weeks”

 

Beca’s smile stuck on her face now for all the wrong reasons. She froze.

 

_The fuck does that mean-two weeks?_

 

She turned her head to Chloe and cleared her throat before raising her brows and queried “Two weeks? What’re you talking about?”

 

Chloe grinned once again and squealed, she had clearly been bottling this up “Chicago is coming to New York!”

 

“Now there’s a sentence” Beca joked breathlessly to try and mask the fact that her heart had just dropped all the way down in her ass “Wh-why i mean how?”

 

“He always saves up his days for leave so that he can spend more time with his family! So he’s got ten days, he’s going back to Georgia to spend the weekend with his family and _then_ he’s coming here for an entire week! He says he’s never been here”

 

_Can he carry on that lovely tradition?_

 

Her mind processed but her expression didn’t know where to land. She tried to look happy but was just so damn hard, her voice went a tiny bit higher in pitch as she then quizzed “So he’s going to be staying?...”

 

“Here silly”

 

“Of course” Beca wheezed, sucking in a breath before muttering “Silly”

 

“Yeah I guess Amy leaving was good timing cause it would have been cramped as hell here if she were here when he came”

 

“Yeah. Where would he have slept?” Beca dryly jokes, though being half serious cause she wouldn’t have given up her bed for _G.I Joe_. Chloe just smirked to her and faked a small laugh before going into the bathroom.

 

Which allowed Beca to let out a silent yet still all the more horrified scream. Clenching her tiny fists as she shook them to the ceiling and damned god for her tricks. How in the hell can she live with Chloe for week when he comes to town and is basically living with them? Though it makes logical sense. Saving him money and as she’s stated to herself before it’s understandable given that Chloe was going to be dating a guy she never see’s so seeing him as much as humanly possible when she could only made her human but Beca was also human and right now she felt like slamming her forehead against things some more.

 

God only knows what she will be wanting to do when he actually gets here. It was bad enough that she had to _listen_ to them but to actually watch them.

 

_Oh gOD. WHAT IF I COME HOME EARLY AND THEY ARE DOING IT-MENTAL PICTURE GET AWAY_

 

She really felt like she was going to be sick. Too bad Chloe was in the bathroom. Beca went over to the tap and put the cold water on running, she leaned against it and took in a breath. In through the nose and out through her mouth, with her eyes still closed. She shook her head at herself.

 

_Get a grip, Mitchell. It’s your fault you’re upset over this not Chloe so don’t ruin this for her._

 

She was excited about this and who the hell was Beca to make her feel weird about it. Cause that would make her a shitty friend and of all the things she wanted to be in her life a shitty friend to Chloe was definitely not one of them.

 

Chloe came back out, seeing Beca leaning over the sink and immediately got worried, rushing over before Beca even realised and put her hand on her back “Bec, you okay?”

 

Beca snapped out of her thoughts and looked to Chloe, quickly standing up straight and turning the tap off “Yeah, I’m cool”

 

“You do look a little paler, more than usual”

 

Beca shrugged “I haven’t had much to eat so I guess I just feel a little light headed”

 

Chloe sighed as she rolled her eyes “Beca we’ve talked about this”

 

“Yes _mom_ I know” she gibed. Chloe did always say to her how she shouldn’t rush off to work without eating something, she also thinks Beca works to hard but that was another story. Chloe just looked to her, and Beca found herself drowning in those oceans that Chloe calls eyes. Suddenly the silence became very loud, there was still a _tension_.

 

Both of them pulled themselves out of it, Beca tucking her hair behind her ear and moving away, she opened up the fridge and saw a big fat nothing which led her to understandably frown. Chloe turned, saw and then after looking at Beca for a few moments more and then ignoring the fact that she was looking at her for a good few seconds she shrugged “Hey. Why don’t we go grab some lunch?”

 

“I’m down” Beca muttered as she closed the fridge “We should probably go shopping soon though” she crossed over and grabbed her jacket “We don’t even have any shit in for dinner tonight”

 

Chloe shrugged again “We’ll just order something tonight”

 

“For a change” Beca laughed breathlessly. Chloe just rolled her eyes once again, this time with a smirk on her face and gave Beca a nudge out the door as she heard her self inflicted laughter.

* * *

 

A part of Beca was telling her not to ask. But then another part, a bigger part was telling her that she _had_ to ask.

 

“Chloe if i ask you something pretty serious. Think you can give me a serious answer?” she pried as they sat at the front window of a starbucks, Chloe turned slightly on her stool to face Beca more and smiled “Course. You know me, always honest”

 

_Well not exactly always-shut up, asshole_

 

She cleared her throat and then shrugged as she just simply asked “Where do you think this is going to go with Chicago?”

 

“I knew it” Chloe sighed.

 

“Knew what?”

 

“You don’t like him”

 

_Well...that’s not not true_

 

Beca frowned and shook her head, her eyes darting to her coffee “Chlo that’s not-I just…”

 

“What?”

 

“I worry” Beca quickly replied, looking back to her “I worry about you and getting emotionally invested in something that might be really hard”

 

“Haven’t we already had this conversation?” Chloe asked with a raised brow.

 

“Probably but now that he’s coming here and is going to be practically living with you for a week, that could really rush the emotions, spending twenty four seven with someone. Trust me”

 

Chloe didn’t comment on the latter part of that sentence, Beca just assumed that Chloe assumed Beca was meaning Jesse when they worked together etcetera. Chloe let out a gentle shrug “Look, I know you’re just looking out for me and I love that you are. But I really like this guy...but if you don’t want him to stay because you don’t like him-”

 

“Chloe it’s got nothing to do with me liking him or not”

 

“But do you? Your approval means a lot”

 

“You don’t need my approval”

 

“And know but I want it. You’re my best friend”

 

_Fuck I could have been so much more_

 

Beca considered her words for a moment, she didn’t want to go down a route that would lead Chloe to get paranoid in having him around. Don’t get her wrong Beca was going to hate it with every fibre of her being but she didn’t want Chloe to know that “I mean I don’t really know him, you and him talked more on tour. I just saw him as the guy who took us from place to place. Does he seem nice? Sure”

 

Chloe then smiled, putting her hand on Beca’s forearm and talking in what could be considered to be some kind of promise “When he gets here you both can get the chance to know each other better”

 

_I’d rather NOT do that_

 

Beca gave her a tight smile and a nod “Sure, Chlo. Sure we can”

 

“Look I get what you’re saying. I know dating a guy in the army is hard, but when you think about it, i’m already dealing with the hard stuff right now. It’s not exactly easy being in  a new relationship in this situation but...I can’t _not_ care about him. You know?”

 

“Yeah I get that” Beca took in a breath and forced out a smile “I just wanted to make sure that you were sure”

 

Chloe smiled and nodded “Yeah, I am”

 

It was going to be hard, Beca looked at Chloe as she turned away and looked back down to her coffee and then the city. She felt her eyes prickle but she quickly blinked that shit away. She couldn’t get emotional over all of it but it was getting harder and harder. When he gets here, it will just be a reminder that Beca was too scared and stupid to not admit her feels to herself _and_ to Chloe.

 

She’s lost her, she’s lost her chance at them being _together_. She’s got nobody to blame but herself and yet a part of her does feel slightly sorry for herself. A very small part. But it was the tiniest attempt she was trying to give herself at cutting herself some slack, there were factors as to why she didn’t say anything, factors that now did seem stupid and much less important to the future she could have had.

 

No matter what, her feelings didn’t matter to her, what mattered was that she was going to try and support Chloe in every way possible that she would let her, not just with Chicago but with everything.

  
Cause that is what a _best friend_ does.


	3. Chapter 3

The one thing Beca wasn’t really expecting-or didn’t really think about when she took the deal with Khaled was the attention it was going to bring her. Her performance for the USO tour got attention already.  _ Apparently  _ she was trending at one point around twitter for her version of the George Michael classic since it was filmed by many people, all good responses according to the girls but Beca didn’t check for herself. 

 

She didn’t even want to think about side of it, she never wanted to be famous, that was never her dream. She just wanted to make music for her career. It’s like they say  _ if you can make your hobby your job, you’re laughing _ . Well they say something like that anyway. And that’s all Beca wanted, making her hobby her job and she had done that, she had succeeded. But unfortunately the thing she never really considered is that attention from being a success and working with people like DJ Khaled was going to grow. 

 

_ Shit. Goodbye privacy. _

 

Then again, she told herself that she was getting over her head. She had done  _ one  _ performance that had got some attention. One. When there were people like Beyonce and Ariana Grande still in the world why would anyone pay attention to little old Beca Mitchell. Chloe kept telling her to not sell herself short, but at 5’2 that was easier said than done. 

 

“Do me one thing” Chloe requested as she climbed out from the clothing rack that now divides them as Beca now claimed Amy’s old bed as her own, Beca looked to her as she lay on her bed, going over some lyrics “And what’s that?”

 

Beca watched as the redhead went over to the newly stocked fridge and took out a bottle of gatorade and then pointed to her with it as her brows went up “Don’t start comparing yourself to all these other singers”

 

“Vocal wise or-”

 

“ _ Any wise _ ” 

 

Beca’s brows pinched to her “That didn’t make sense”

 

“You knew what I meant?”

 

“Yeah”

 

“Then shut up” Chloe cooed, shrugging before taking a seat at the table. The corners on Beca’s mouth tugged to a small smile as her eyes went back down to the paper, she sighed “Well its pretty hard to do. If Khaled wants me going to all these press things with him, they’re going to be there”

 

“It’s exciting! You’re going to be meeting people you have on your  _ spotify  _ playlist” Chloe squealed in all attempts to be encouraging. And Beca knew all of this, and it was exciting but it was also “Intimidating. Chlo, it’s going to be insanely intimidating” 

 

“For them” Chloe smirked “New blood, you’ll be a threat”

 

Beca rolled her eyes and scoffed, still not looking at her. She then heard movement and before she even had chance to register, she now had Chloe’s face rather intensely close to hers as she had got down on her knees at the foot of the bed. Chloe put her hands on Beca’s slim wrists to stop her from writing. 

 

_ Her hands are so fucking soft _

 

Their eyes locked to each other, Chloe giving her a gentle look to match her soothing tone “I mean it, Bec. I know you don’t exactly want to be some worldwide success, you just want to be chill and that’s fair enough. But don’t go into these things thinking you’re some kind of the nomad”

 

Beca just shrugged to her, leading the redhead to  _ tut  _ as dismissal to Beca’s hostility “You’re the most talented person I have ever met. You’re  _ so _ witty that you can make me laugh for hours on end”

 

“That’s not hard to do” Beca dryly teased.

 

“I still stand by my point” her voice settled down once again “You’re funny, smart...the voice of a freaking angel” she paused as they both softly gigged and then carried on “And also. You’re beautiful” 

 

Beca’s eyes went back to her, more relaxed yet still surprised by the comment. Not because Chloe never compliments cause she does, but when it’s said in this tone it’s when it really  _ means  _ something “Let’s not forget you’re incredibly hot. What is there not to be intimidated by? You’re pretty much the whole package” 

 

_ Coming from literally the most beautiful woman on the planet _

 

Beca gave her a tight smile whilst still trying dodge real eye contact, and Chloe knew that Beca wasn’t one for taking compliments, so she made it easier for her and just gave her arm a gentle tap before standing up and going back across to her own bed, then calling once she was “And I mean that!”

 

Beca bit down on her bottom lip to try and contain her grin as she felt butterflies going off in her stomach. Thank god Chloe went over to her side before she saw that she had Beca blushing like a schoolgirl which she hated herself for. She was also hating the warm, gooey feeling in her stomach from Chloe’s words but it was a feeling she had been getting ever since she walked in on her at the shower, course at the time she had no idea that what she was feeling was  _ what she was feeling _ . 

 

But she was driving herself crazy going over this constantly every  _ damn  _ day. Thankfully her phone buzzed to snap her out of it all.

 

_ Theo [2:47PM]: Khaled wants to know where you stand on the press thing this weekend?  _

 

Beca glanced over the clothing rack where Chloe was on the other side of, thinking of what she said. And she was right, she shouldn’t be scared to put herself out there. 

 

_ Beca [2:48PM]: Yeah I'll do it with you _

 

_ Theo [2:48PM]: Yeah but where do you stand on the press thing (heh heh) _

 

_ Beca [2:49PM]: Don’t be that dude.  _

 

Sometimes she feels like she can get along with Theo fine, and then he says things like  _ that _ . She never could tell whether his crude ‘banter’ was his attempts at being charming and funny but he was neither. He was just a moron. Nice enough, she supposed. But a moron nonetheless. 

 

This part of her career she didn’t necessarily enjoy and hopefully showing her face  _ once  _ as his new rising star or whatever will be enough to last and buy her at least half a year before she has to do it again. Maybe that was a bit of a stretch but she was willing to give it a go anyway. 

 

“I’ve agreed to it” Beca informed Chloe as she resumed her writing, then looking over to Chloe as she popped her head out of the clothing rack and gleamed “I knew you would” 

 

“At least one of us is with the program” she muttered again as she looked back down to her paper. 

* * *

 

Beca sang some notes into the mic as she stood in the middle of the recording booth, she only did it for a few seconds because all she wanted to do was really get a feel of how it was sounding. She took off the headphones and saw Theo put his thumb up to her as he messed around with the desk. 

 

She quickly made her way and joined him on the other side “Well?”

 

“It sounds solid” he avowed, then looking to her and giving her a smile “Really solid”

 

“Yeah I’ll be the judge of that” she muttered as she walked and stood in front of him to take the reins. He may be good at what he does but Theo liked to compliment her more than necessary, if she didn’t know any better she’d think he was biased. But then when she actually listened to it she had to agree, it did sound pretty solid. So far so good. 

 

Beca stood back up straight, seeing Theo fold his arms in the corner of her eye which meant he was about to say something, that was something she learnt about him pretty much as soon as she met him, he straightened his posture in some way when he was about to ask something “So, what made you agree to come to this press thing next week? The way your face dropped when Khaled called about it I’d have thought you would have said no”

 

Beca glanced to him and shrugged, scratching under nose “Y’know just my roomate kind of put things in perspective I guess”

 

“Chloe, right? Cute redhead?”

 

“Yeah. Chloe”

 

“You seem to listen to her more than anyone else” he jested. 

 

Again, Beca shrugged “Well, voice of reason and all”

 

Theo nodded and then said in more seriousness “I’m glad she managed to convince you. It will be a good night for you to get to know people. And Khaled is flying here from LA for it so he deems it important too” 

 

“Suppose. Parties and stuff just aren’t really my thing”

 

“You seemed pretty cool with them overseas”

 

His words struck her for a moment, she didn’t really know why it did so much but it caused her to even look at him. A sad feeling suddenly hitting the pit of her stomach. Beca took in a breath and slowly nodded as she muttered “Yeah...that had nothing to do with the parties themselves that was just because I was with the girls” she strummed her fingers on the desk for a moment as she pondered.

 

She still had Chloe and Amy which she was grateful for, everyone assumed that it was Chloe that would fall apart in being left alone but Beca had to admit it to herself (and no one else) that she would easily fall apart being alone. She missed her nerds. Every single one of them. 

 

It’s not like they never talked, that’s what group chats were for. Damn thing is going off every damn second, but it wasn't the same as actually seeing them. Amy and Chloe were the only ones who lived in the city. The rest were  _ fairly  _ close by, but not close enough where they could see each other most days which sucked balls. 

 

“You alright, Beca?” the Brit asked with his brows gently up for concern. Beca looked to him and shrugged it off, clearing her throat “Yeah, I’m good”

 

_ Shake it off, Mitchell  _

 

Maybe she was missing them even more lately because of all the shit she was going through emotionally in dealing with Chloe being with someone else. Now that they all knew of Beca’s feelings, well they all knew all along but getting Beca’s actual confirmation just made it more valid. And since her mom was no longer around to hold her and tell her it will be alright and hell she and her dad never had that kind of relationship. Having the Bellas were the only sense of comfort she head about this, it’s not like she could be held by Chloe about it.

 

Though that would be nice. Being held by Chloe. 

 

_ Shake it off, Mitchell _

 

Drowning herself in her work had lately been the best form of action she took in order to block out her mess of emotions. Even the lyrics reflected all the shit, which Theo did pick up on but of course assumed it was about a guy. He didn’t think she was the type to write a song about her heartache, but to be honest, neither did Beca. She looked at the time and saw that her time in the studio was officially done, she had been there for more hours than she anticipated and she agreed to meet up with Amy was dinner since Chloe was working late else the three of them would have gone together.

 

Beca did see it as a good thing though, at least she could vent to Amy during this dinner knowing she was going to be all ears. 

 

“We’ll work on it more tomorrow” Beca announced, it felt good that she could call the shots. Theo just nodded “Sure thing boss”

 

As she put her jacket on she couldn’t help but smirk and look to him “Does it still sting saying that?”

 

“Yes. But bearable enough”

 

She firmly slapped his arm once she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. 

* * *

 

Chloe walked out of the practise room after doing her first real check up on a dog. It went pretty well as her supervisor said to her. She was feeling pretty good about this whole vet thing, it felt good knowing she was helping little lives. 

 

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, she and Aubrey were having a conversation before Chloe was pulled in to doing her check up. So now she could finally reply.

 

_ Aubrey [4:50PM]: Weird? Weird how?  _

 

_ Chloe [5:06PM]: Sorry, had this dog thing. I don’t know she’s just being all quiet and stuff like she’s always got something on her mind but she won’t tell me? Idk maybe I’m just being paranoid _

 

_ Aubrey [5:07PM]: Have you asked her if everything is okay? _

 

_ Chloe [5:07PM]: Yes! And she says everything is fine but I know she’s holding back...what do you think, Bree? _

 

Aubrey was certainly in a position. Chloe had been her best friend since she was in high-school. Keeping the secret that Beca was probably acting so weird because she was struggling to handle Chloe and her new boyfriend because she has feelings for her was damn hard. Especially after she had Chloe cry to her various times over the years when Beca was with Jesse. It wasn’t fair, but she couldn’t say anything because that wasn’t her secret to tell and Beca would get  _ so  _ mad at her and she didn’t want that either. 

 

So she tired to be coy. 

 

_ Aubrey [5:08PM]: I don’t know, Chlo...maybe she’s just stressed with work. I think you worry too much _

 

_ Chloe [5:09PM]: Yeah? _

 

_ Aubrey [5:09PM]: I think when it comes to Beca you always worry too much cause you care so much _

 

Chloe bit her lip as she stared at the text. She couldn’t deny that. 

 

_ Chloe [5:10PM]: Maybe _

 

_ Aubrey [5:10PM]: Chloe, do you still have feelings for her? _

 

Oh they were really going down this road weren’t they. Chloe knew this was a question on everyone’s mind ever since she started things up with Chicago. To be honest in the beginning she asked herself the same question, for some odd reason she felt like she was betraying Beca in a way. Even though they have never told each other their feelings and Chloe still thought it was one sided. 

 

_ Chloe [5:11PM]: I mean...yeah those feelings don’t just go away. I was like insanely in love with her for the better part of knowing her _

 

_ Aubrey [5:12PM]: So this thing with Chicago? _

 

Chloe sucked in a breath and exhaled after a second or two. 

 

_ Chloe [5:12PM]: I mean, come on Bree you know I’ve said this before I can’t wait around forever. Beca doesn’t feel that way for me I’m pretty sure. And even though I can’t shut off my feelings for her entirely, I really like Chicago. We get on so well and he’s so sweet, I do honestly like him and care about him. I’m finally starting to think I can move on _

 

_ Aubrey [5:13PM]: And that’s something you really want? To move on? _

 

_ Chloe [5:14PM]: I don’t think I really have a choice  _

* * *

 

Beca ordered a whiskey as soon as she and Amy sat down. Throwing her head back against the booth. 

 

“It’s really that bad?” Amy asked in a higher tone. Beca thought for a moment and then lifted her head back up, shaking her head “I’m not the type of girl to exactly cry into her pillow at night but um...there have been some silent cries give or take on some evenings” 

 

Amy frowned “Beca. You’re torturing yourself” 

 

“I think when _ Soldier Ken _ gets here I’m going to explode” Beca said flatly, shrugging as the waiter put down their drinks in front of them and grabbed her glass as soon as he was gone “I really do”

 

“Okay I know you said you won’t move in to my place like the whole 3-60 full time but just stay at my place whilst he is there”

 

Beca looked to her and then started to really consider that. That wasn’t such a bad idea, slowly she began to nod “Yeah. Yeah and I can just tell her I’m doing it for her sake but really  _ really  _ I am doing it for my own sanity” 

 

Amy watched Beca as she took a large sip of her whiskey “Okay  _ Beca Daniels  _ take it easy”

 

Beca put the glass down and rested her head back against the booth, then hearing Amy add “You look like someone has just kicked your dog”  

 

Beca just look to her, Amy then thought for a moment and nodded to her words “You weren’t even this bad when you and Jesse broke up”

 

“Cause me and Jesse broke up over this” Beca casually stated, shrugging her shoulders “It was very mutual,  _ friendly _ ”

 

“Okay don’t hate me for saying this but maybe it’s time you try to move on”

 

“What like she has?” Beca muttered, gently scoffing as she shook her head. She then took a breath and simply stated “I would if I could, but if trying to make a three year relationship with my boyfriend work didn’t do the trick then I don’t know what will” 

 

“Then tell her”

 

Beca raised her brows “And mess up her feelings that she now has? Just risk making a mess of our friendship? Hell no, I’m not doing that” she then went into silence and thought a little more for a moment. Then shaking her head again and confirming her words to herself. 

 

She just took hold of her whiskey again and had another sip of it. Amy just gave her an unconvinced look, a look that she had received many times before this. And so many times she had just tried to ignore it. Including right now, but it was hard to do when they were going to be here for a while. 

 

“I feel like I’m in one of those angst teen dramas” Beca muttered as she roughly rubbed her, hearing Amy laugh but she was being fairly serious with it all. 

 

“Amy I’m serious, I hate it. I feel like I’m keeping something from her”

 

“Well...you are?” 

 

Beca just frowned to her, to which Amy shrugged and apologised by still stood by her point. Beca shook her head and changed the subject “I agreed to that press thing for Khaled”

 

“Score! What time am I going to be expected to dazzle everyone?”

 

Beca pulled an awkward face “Yeah...uh-listen about that”

 

Amy’s jaw dropped “Beca! You said first press event I can come with you! Who’re you talking instead-do not say Chloe, you’re just making-”

 

“You want to take a beat and actually listen to me?”

 

Amy folded her arms and sighed. Beca shrugged before shaking her head “No I’m not taking Chloe. I have to just kind of go solo, well Theo is accompanying me as he likes to put it”

 

“I bet he does” Amy muttered, then eyeing to Beca and asking again “He has a crush on you, right?”

 

Beca just shrugged, but she knew that it was most likely true, he did stare a  _ lot  _ “Doesn’t matter anyway, I’m nowhere near interested”

 

“Don’t we know it” Amy raised her brows to her.

 

Beca just rolled her eyes and attempted to find a subject that didn’t run back to Chloe. Failing as soon as she tried. 

* * *

 

Beca returned back from dinner and drinks with Amy when the night was still young yet already pretty dark. She didn’t expect to walk into a pitch black apartment but she did. Chloe should be in by now. 

 

Raising a brow, Beca put her keys in the bowl and took a step in “Chlo?”

 

She then heard a gasp come from the other side of the room, now becoming more confused, Beca stuck her head through the clothing rack and saw Chloe lay on her stomach with her laptop in front of her and earbuds in. 

 

Beca looked over to what she was watching and then she too gasped but for a different reason, she poked the redhead in the back which scared the shit out of her, she ripped her earbuds out as Beca wailed with her hand to the screen “You’re watching it without me!”

 

“I know I  _ know  _ but i couldn’t help it, I didn’t know what time you were going to be back” Chloe said with a shameless look on her face, then glancing to the screen and moving ever so slightly to the right hand side of her bed “But it’s literally just started I can rewind it” 

 

“Good. You better” Beca took her jacket off and raised her brows to her “Let me just get changed” 

 

“Oh! Oh! Put the kettle on” 

 

Beca huffed and muttered “She watches our show without me yet she still makes the demands”

 

_ If this were sitcom we’d be in a domestic marriage right now….that’d be nice _

 

Beca put the kettle on the stove and then took out her red checkered pyjama pants and white tank top before returning to the kettle and took out two cups. Adding the coffee, boiling water and cream before taking the two hot cups of coffee over to Chloe’s side. Maybe a part of her loved this kind of night with Chloe so much cause she could pretend in someway that this was them being some kind of domestic couple. 

 

_ Maybe  _ a secret part of Chloe still loved it for that reason to. Beca lay beside her, on her stomach and passed her the coffee “Quick, remind me again what happened at the end of the last episode?”

 

“ _ Uh  _ Jack and Rebecca had that totally romantic night in their old apartment”

 

Beca hummed along as she sipped the coffee and then said flatly “Yeah. I remember that now cause you cried”

 

“It was adorable!  _ They’re  _ adorable”

 

“I’m not arguing against that I’m just stating a fact”

 

Chloe rolled her eyes “Okay. And um, she’s told him she’s going on tour with her band. Kevin may have won back over Sophie  _ and  _ William is still dying”

 

“God I love this show” Beca whispered, taking the coffee back to her lips again. Chloe looked to her and just smiled. In the beginning Chloe had to practically beg Beca to sit down and start watching this with her, considering even paying her to do it since she didn’t like to binge alone, she likes to share it with someone. Especially when that someone is Beca. 

 

And in the beginning, the sound of it didn’t really strike Beca as something she would like but hell did it surprise her. Who knew a show about a simple, normal family would be so damn powerful. The emotions crept up on her like she had never known before. The fact that she gets to sit down for at least a few hours a night and laugh or cry with Chloe was always what made it even more worth the while. 

 

As the computer loaded for a bit as Chloe pulled the timeline back, she asked “How’s Amy? Sorry that I couldn’t make it tonight”

 

“It’s cool and she’s good. Still rich as hell I don’t think she knows what she’s doing with it all half the time” Beca laughed. 

 

“What’ve you guys talked about? Anything I missed out on?”

 

Beca looked to her but didn’t even debate on telling her, right here and right now was sure as hell not the time. She shrugged and shook her head as she looked back to the screen once she heard that the scene was opening “Nothing important, just usual Beca and Amy stuff” 

 

Chloe didn’t push any further since she saw no reason to and it went real quiet as the episode took off. And god knows it helped hit all kinds of the emotions, the fight scene between Jack and Rebecca which was a rarity made Chloe gasp and clutch her hand onto Beca’s as an impulse, a scene between Kevin and Randall which made them  _ both  _ cry and leaned against each other for some kind of emotional support. Looking to the time and seeing that they really should call it a night but they couldn’t help but put on another. 

 

They then put on  _ another _ but only got halfway through because Beca noticed that Chloe, the lightweight she was, couldn’t help but fall asleep. Beca paused the episode as soon as she saw, it would be saved where they were up to anyway. Beca closed the laptop and put it down on the floor as quietly as possible. 

 

Moving the side table that had the cups on them away from against the mattress since she knew that Chloe moved in her sleep every now and then and there would be chance of her knocking them with either her arm or leg. 

 

Even though she had fallen asleep at the  _ foot _ of the bed, she didn’t have it in her to wake her up just to move her. Beca, now stood at the side of the bed just looked down at her, gazed at her even. 

 

_ She’s so beautiful it actually hurts-deep in my soul it hurts  _

 

Beca leaned down and ran her fingers through the side of Chloe’s red hair, getting it out of her face so she could get a better look cause she really couldn’t get enough of it. The back of her fingers gently running down her cheek. Quickly she pulled her hand away, she shouldn’t be doing this, gazing and admiring her, she knew she shouldn’t be doing it because even though she hated the fact that Chloe now had a boyfriend. She still had one. 

 

She then noticed Chloe’s phone had fallen on the floor, taking it over to the plug and charging it up for her over night as she did, the screen came up and she saw the last few notifications on her phone. 

 

_ Becs [8:32PM]: I missed a cab kill me _

 

_ Aubrey [8:55PM]: If you say so, Chlo. Just hope you know what you’re doing. _

 

Beca raised her brows. 

 

_ Now that one would be interesting for context  _

 

Her eyes then fell on the last text. 

 

_ Chicago [9:15PM]: I can’t wait to see you either. Won’t be long now babe, we’ll make our time together be special I promise. Speak tomorrow, sleep tight x _

 

Beca quickly shut the lockscreen down again and out the phone quick down on the table, sitting down flat on the floor. That will teach her for putting her nose into people’s private lives. She hated how nice he seemed. She hated the fact that he was actually going to be here sooner rather than later. She hated how she had a perfectly fun and nice night with her best friend and it was now ruined because she had been reminded that  _ A: She was in fact madly in love with her _ and  _ B: She fucked everything up _ . 

 

Feeling tears making a surprising appearance to her eyes and then cheeks, Beca quickly wiped them away and tried to try her eyes with the end of her tank top before taking in a deep breath and getting back up on her knees, ready to stand she then just looked to Chloe once more. Just watched her sleep, biting her lip to try and keep her emotions under check. Not even thinking about it, Beca leaned forward and gently kissed Chloe’s cheek for a few long seconds. Part of her hoped and even imagined in those seconds that Chloe would wake up and just grab her and kiss her properly, but no. That didn’t happen. 

 

Beca pulled back and looked at her once more, smiling softly to her “Goodnight, Chlo” she whispered gently before actually getting her act together and standing up. She grabbed the blanket that was hanging over the small arm chair in the corner of Chloe’s side of the apartment and place it over her body before she returned to her side. 

 

Chloe slowly opened her eyes, her fingertips gently touching the cheek that Beca had just pressed her lips against and all she could think about was why that just happened. 


	4. Chapter 4

_ Another night, another night of Chloe falling asleep earlier than usual. Beca rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smirk, it was quite endearing. Once again Beca moved things around for her. _

 

_ This time being at the right side of the bed, Beca pulled back the duvet only to put it back over her body. It happened again where she couldn’t help but run her fingers through the side of her hair and lean down to kiss her cheek again. She was surprised when she caught her lips, not knowing or seeing that Chloe had woken up just in time and moved her head to kiss her.  _

 

_ Beca quickly pulled back and looked to her “Chloe?” _

 

_ Chloe looked into her eyes, rather nervously and then smiled as she put her hands to the brunette’s cheeks “I wasn’t really asleep. I noticed when you did it the other night” _

 

_ “I’m sorry-” _

 

_ “Don’t be” she whispered in a low tone, pulling Beca’s face back down to her, putting their lips back together. Beca gripped onto Chloe’s waist, sinking into the kiss before pulling away again “What about-” _

 

_ “I choose you” Chloe quickly replied “God, I’m always going to choose you” _

 

_ Beca grinned, so much that it hurt her cheeks but she really didn’t care in this moment. Biting down on her lip for a moment as she gathered her words and then managed to say the words that she has been longing to say for year “Chloe I love you” _

 

_ Chloe curled her fingers in Beca’s hair as she too grinned and nodded “Yeah. I love you too”  _

 

_ “Six years I’ve waited for that” Beca whispered with a smile still lingering on her face as she bent down and kissed her again, Chloe’s hands going to Beca’s waist and pulled her onto her body.  _

 

_ Their legs tangling together, holding onto each other tighter as the kiss became much more deep and heated, their tongues brushing together which led to Beca hearing a moan escape Chloe’s mouth that projected into her own.  _

 

_ Chloe’s fingers ran through the back of Beca’s hair before gripping down onto it. Beca smirked as she moved her lips away from Chloe’s and moved to her cheek, jaw and neck. Just wanting to kiss everywhere she had been dreaming about kissing since she was 19.  _

 

_ With her lips against the redhead’s collarbone, she heard her name be called breathlessly by her.  _

 

_ “Beca…” her voice became more clear, more bold and...more british.  _

 

Theo raised his brows and called again “Beca”

 

Beca took in a breath as she quickly jumped and woke herself up, seeing that she had in fact passed out in the leather arm chair that was in her office of the recording studio. She had been working so hard on some new material that it clearly knocked her out a little. 

 

That was the third night in a  _ row  _ that she had a dream like that, or just having a dream about then in general. Beca cleared her throat and pushed her quilt off of her legs as she rose from her chair “Time is it?”

 

“Past midnight. What’re you still doing here?”

 

“What’re  _ you  _ doing here?” Beca asked defensively. 

 

“I was just out with a few friends and remembered that I needed to forward an email to Khaled so I figured if I was passing by I-are you okay?”

 

“Fine” she shrugged, running her fingers through her hair as she stood in front of her laptop “I just didn’t mean to pass out”

 

“I don’t think anyone  _ means  _ to pass out” he gently chuckled, though getting no response from her. Beca looked down to her phone and saw she had a couple messages.

 

_ Legacy [10:25PM]: You want my input? SERIOUSLY?! Ah omg Becs I’d love that, i can email you some stuff tomorrow afternoon! Love ya  _

 

_ Chlo [10:30PM]: Not to sound like your mother but where are you? Shouldn’t you have been home hours ago? Call me when you’re on your way back _

 

_ My Nerds - Stacie [11:00PM]: Ladies a night out is needed soon! _

 

_ Jesse [11:30PM] Hey Bec, I know we haven’t talked in a while but I’m in the city meeting up with Benji and it’d be great to catch up? I’m in town till Saturday.  _

 

Beca tapped her finger on the top of the phone as she looked to Jesse’s text. It was pretty out of the blue, but she understood why he did reach out. If she was in the same town as him then she would do the same. They were still friends after all, not exactly friends that spoke everyday but good enough that she could meet up for a cup of coffee which seemed that his girlfriend would be cool with. Maybe it would be good to catch up with him, after all he knew all about her situation with Chloe, so maybe he would understand better than anyone, even better than the girls.

 

She didn’t respond to any messages yet, she glanced up to Theo who was still stood and staring as always, she raised a brow “You need something, Theo?”

 

“No” Theo quickly shook his head and snapped himself out of his gaze “Uh I actually better head out” 

 

Beca sighed, realising she was being a bit of a dick with him, she closed her laptop and shoved it in her bag before grabbing her jacket “Hold up I’m coming” 

 

She turned the lights off as she left her office and began to go towards the elevator with him. It was fairly silent once they were in there, Theo glanced to her and opened his mouth as he eventually said “How’s the song coming along?”

 

Beca glanced to him and then looked right ahead, cracking her back and scratching the back of her head before just nodding “It’s coming, I don't really know how I want to play it with the tempo and all but hopefully once I get all the lyrics out I should know better”

 

“Don’t doubt it”

 

“I guess I’m just putting a lot of pressure on it because it’d be my first one written for the label” Beca confessed, looking to him as he did to her and then just shrugged “I got a lot riding on it” 

 

“Yeah it can be really difficult. But that’s why you’ve got a whole team of people behind you, we’re all here to help whenever we can” he shrugged “Just gotta let us, Beca”

 

Beca just looked at him and then just put her eyes back to straight ahead before muttering “Thanks” 

 

She wasn’t usually having heart to hearts with people that weren’t any of the Bellas, so when he tried to get sentimental and cosy, she tried to brush it off as best she could. Although she did appreciate what he said, she does need to trust other people in helping when right now she didn’t even trust herself a whole lot with her music. 

 

They reached ground floor, Theo took out his keys to his car “You need a lift?”

 

“No I’ll just get a cab” she shrugged, walking out the building, but then hearing him sigh and saw him motion his hand to the Mercedes right in front of them “C’mon Beca I can get you back faster  _ free  _ of charge” 

 

She looked to him, the car and then him again. Beca rolled her eyes and just nodded, if he tried anything then she was fully prepared to punch him in the throat. Luckily he was smarter than to try something on with the woman who was ultimately his boss and from what he was getting, still not over someone. 

 

“So. Are you riding solo at the press thing this weekend?”

 

Beca glanced to him before looking back out the window “Yeah. I mean Amy wanted to come but I don’t know I guess I’d rather make the first impression on my own before I bring anyone”

 

“People usually just date a plus one for the company side of it” Theo shrugged. 

 

“I’ll be okay”

 

“Hey I’ll be there” he smirked as he looked to her for a short moment. Beca rolled her eyes “Yeah, okay. Doesn’t mean you’re there with me”

 

“Message received” Theo laughed, shaking his head to her and laughing some more, she looked to him “What’s with you, chuckles”

 

“Nothing. You just make me laugh that’s all”

 

“Any reason?”

 

“Just the bluntness” he shrugged, laughing some more “It’s entertaining at times” 

 

“Glad to be of service” she grumbled again as the car came to halt outside her apartment building, she took off her seat belt and shot a glance to him as she thanked him, as she climbed out of the car she heard him say “So I’ll see you Saturday”

 

“You will” she called back, shutting the door and quickly getting into her apartment. 

 

Getting in as quiet as possible with Chloe being asleep, she tried her best not to take her. She did have work at 6am so waking her up was a big no no. Beca successfully managed to get changed and get in bed without making a sound, before going to sleep herself she took the liberty of actually replying to the messages she had on her phone. 

 

_ Beca [reply to ‘Legacy’, 12:56AM]: Sorry kid I passed out but hell yeah I’m serious, I’ll call you sometime tomorrow  _

 

_ Beca [reply to ‘Chlo’, 12:56AM]: You’re asleep right now but sorry I didn’t call, passed out at work  _

 

_ Beca [reply to ‘My Nerds’, 12:57AM]: Get a sitter Conrad and consider it done _

 

She then paused as she came to Jesse’s text, considered carefully what her words to him was going to be. Should she see him? He was still someone she considers to be a friend after all but would it be weird? She’d get to see Benji who she  _ never  _ see’s anymore which was crazy given he was tearing up Broadway just down the road, just busy schedules she supposed. 

 

The more she thought about it, the more she felt it would be good. So she finally responded. 

 

_ Beca [reply to ‘Jesse’, 1:00AM]: Hey, I’m off work tomorrow so if you’re still down in catching up then I’m all for it, it’d be good to see you.  _

 

Beca put her phone down on her bedside table, turned off her lamp and finally was able to get some real sleep. 

* * *

 

Beca woke up to the kettle boiling, looking to her phone and seeing that it was 6:15AM. A time that she should not be waking up to on her day off, she looked over and saw Chloe waiting by the kettle in her scrubs, looking over her shoulder to Beca, thinking she’d be asleep. She then looked back again when she realised that it was opposite “Crap! I’m sorry, I woke you up!”

 

Beca waved her hand as she sat up in bed “It’s cool, Chlo. I can just fall back to sleep when you go don’t worry”

 

Chloe let out a small sigh of relief and nodded as she filled up her travel mug with the boiling water to add to her instant coffee grains “You want a cup whilst I’m doing it since you’re awake?”

 

“I won’t say no” Beca said with a tired smile. Chloe nodded and quickly did Beca a cup, black with two sugars just how she knows she likes it. Chloe set it down on the table beside her bed and then asked as she turned back and walked over to the table in the middle of the apartment “You got any plans today then? On your day off?” 

 

“Yeah um, actually I’m going...I’m going see Jesse”

 

Chloe’s head snapped to Beca, spinning around to face her properly. She had no idea Jesse was even in town “Jesse? When did he get in the city?”

 

“Uh just yesterday I think” Beca shrugged “But he dropped me a text just seeing if I wanted to grab a cup of coffee and” she shrugged once again as she sucked in a breath “Catch up” 

 

Chloe nodded and muttered “Oh” in a higher pitch than usual, her head still nodding as she looked down to the table in checking that she had everything for work to try and not make the  _ slight  _ jealousy she was feeling in the pit of her stomach obvious, biting on her lip she then quickly asked “He still with his girlfriend?”

 

Not noticing that Chloe was getting jealous cause in all the six years she has known her, she has never been able to really pick up on it, Beca took her coffee from her lips and settled it back down onto the table beside her “Yeah. Even if he wasn’t it wouldn’t be like a date or anything” 

 

Beca laid her legs flat down onto the mattress and added “That ship has well and truly  _ sunk _ ” 

 

Chloe huffed a small laugh and then nodded her head at a more slow and less panicked pace. She couldn’t help that, she couldn’t help that a rush of jealousy still ran through her at the sheer thought of Beca being with anyone else, not just Jesse but  _ anyone _ . She picked up her travel mug after putting on her jacket and shrugged as she looked to her “I’m just glad you guys can still be friends”

 

“Yeah same here” Beca sighed, taking her eyes to Chloe as the redhead gave her a kind smile and a small wave, she headed to the door “I’ll see you later at Smokes?” 

 

Beca gave her a nod as confirmation to see her at the bar they go to every Friday after work “You got it”

 

“Kay see you then, tell Jesse I said hi”

 

“Will do” Beca called back and then watching Chloe close the front door, she sunk back into the mattress and held the coffee against her stomach, just lying there and thinking about pretty much everything all at once, so much so that it started to make her head hurt so she made the collective decision to drink down the rest of her coffee and try to get a few more hours sleep. 

* * *

 

Beca walked into the coffee shop that was just on the corner of 43rd street, the street where Benji’s latest show was on. As soon as she stepped in she saw the pair of them sat in a booth at the back of the place. Jesse looked good, he’d been working out and grown a small scruff beard. If she wasn’t completely into someone else she would hate him for looking better cause as her ex, it was his duty to be the opposite. 

 

Jesse turned his head when he saw her walk over to him and smiled, getting up from his seat and Benji then doing the same as he caught on. Jesse held his arms out to her and though it would feel awkward at first, Beca just gave him a tight smile and accepted his embrace. He gave her a tight squeeze as he said to her “Hey, Bec”

 

“Hi Jess” she whispered to him, rubbing his back and they pulled away for a moment. Jesse looked to her up and down and smiled “You look great”

 

“Okay shut up now” she rolled her eyes, pushing him back, to which he laughed at “What? Haven’t seen you in two years least you could’ve done is gotten worse”

 

“Yeah well same to you, Swanson” Beca raised her brows to him before taking her attention over to Benji, smiling to him as he pulled her in for a hug before she could even blink, she patted his back and laughed “Good to see you too, Benji”

 

“I can’t believe we live in the same city and we never see each other” 

 

“I know we suck” Beca said, pulling back and then pointing to him “But it wouldn’t hurt for you to throw us some tickets to your show y’know”

 

“Consider it done” he smiled, then rubbing his lips as he fell silent for a moment before picking up the courage to ask “How’s Emily?” 

 

Beca opened her mouth and then found words “Yeah she’s good. Doing well, i’m actually getting her involved with some song writing for the label”

 

“Aw that’s great” he smiled. She could see that he still ached over Emily a little, it was a natural order of it all though, he flew out to New York right after graduation cause his cousin, who was a casting agent said he might have something for him. It was an opportunity that he couldn’t turn down which Emily understood and was 100% supportive of, they tried to make it work but their relationship was too fresh for it to have a strong enough bond to survive long distance.

 

And Emily was just growing out in college, Benji didn’t want to feel like he was holding her back in anyway. So they went back to being friends, but they didn’t speak as much as they would like to. 

 

Beca turned and called to ask the barista for a black coffee before sitting down next to Benji, getting a congratulations from both guys on getting the deal with Khaled. Jesse shook his head and pointed to her with his whole hand as he reassured “Don’t get me wrong I always knew you’d make it”

 

Beca smirked and nodded in part of a tease “Course”

 

“But the way it’s happened is amazing” 

 

“Yeah can’t disagree on that one” Beca smirked, feeling kind of smug and proud of herself. Benji then joined in “As soon as I saw the video I couldn’t believe what you did, pulling the Bellas on stage like that. It was brave”

 

Beca shrugged, with a small still faintly on her face “I couldn’t do it without them”

 

“Look at that character development” Jesse dryly teased as he sat back in the booth. Hard to believe he was looking at the same girl he knew all those years ago who wouldn’t even look at anyone else properly. Beca just rolled her eyes at him as the waitress came over and put the coffee down on her table. 

 

Beca wrapped her hands around it and looked to Benji “So. Benji how’s the show?”

 

“Really good! Great even! The reviews for it are just as good too” Benji gleamed “To think I was the understudy only getting in once performance every few weeks and now I’m the headliner”

 

“Hey man we didn’t doubt you for a second” Jesse smiled. 

 

“Thanks guys” Benji then got a text and when he saw it he frowned “Aw man, it’s my director. Looks like I’m being called into work early”

 

Jesse and Beca both frowned but also understood. They stood up and said their goodbyes, Jesse was staying with him so he would see him in just a few hours, plus he was going to his show tonight. 

 

“I promise I’ll get those tickets! Let me know when the Bellas are free”

 

“Sure will, and when Em comes into the city for our song writing, I’ll let you know” Beca stated with a smile and wink before she wrapped her arms around his neck for a fond, quick embrace. 

 

It was then just the two of them, Beca sat by the window, taking Benji’s spot whilst Jesse sat across the way from her. Jesse leaned his arms down on the table and gave her a gentle look “So. How’ve you been, Bec?”

 

“Living the dream” Beca huffed with a small smile, Jesse then shook his head “I’m not talking about your career. I mean  _ you _ ”

 

“Well compared to you having both career and love life sorted I’d say I’m falling behind”

 

Jesse chuckled, Beca then raised a brow to him “How is the lovely Sarah?”

 

“You actually asking?”

 

“Do I seem like one of those jealous bitter ex girlfriends?”

 

He smiled, feeling a little stupid and then shook his head “Guess not. But she’s good...we’re good”

 

“Good”

 

She knew that he was dying to ask, Chloe had changed her facebook status a few days after coming back from the USO, so he knew that she was now in a relationship. He cleared his throat and found a way to get into it “So I was surprised when I went onto facebook and saw that Chloe Beale was in a relationship...with a guy”

 

Beca sighed, looking down into her coffee as she heard him add “Kind of expected that status to come with someone else attached to it. Not  _ Chicago Walp _ ”

 

_ Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious _

 

“He’s a good guy”

 

“Yeah I’m not doubting that...but he’s not you, Bec. Surely even Chloe can see that”

 

_ Damn...forgot I told him everything _

 

Beca scratched her forehead and took in a breath as she looked to him, then tried to pass the subject to be less intense as it was as she joked “Not really the conversation I expect to have with my ex boyfriend”

 

“C’mon we were best friends for years, hell I still see you as one of my best friends. We’ve talked about this a few times after the break up”

 

“A few times during the break up too” Beca said with a raised brow, still trying to keep the mood light. Jesse gave her a gentle smile “Beca...”

 

Beca dropped her attempts and ran her fingers through her hair, she shrugged “I don’t know what to tell you or even to do about it. I wasn’t expecting her to meet someone on our tour”

 

“But what’s been stopping you these past two years?”

 

Beca smiled as she shrugged “Fear? I don’t know, Jess I’ve been scared of putting the friendship on the line, if she didn’t feel that same”

 

“Well I always thought she did”

 

“Yeah well now I know she has had the same feelings all these years, Amy told me that Chloe admitted it  _ literally  _ five years ago”

 

His brows went up “What? And they never told you?”

 

Again, she shrugged and stated simply “It was never their secret to tell” 

 

“Okay. Point. But why didn’t she-”

 

“Out of respect for you, Jesse. For  _ us  _ she didn’t want to complicate anything or make a mess of things for her friendship with either of us” 

 

He saw the point and logic in that too. Jesse shrugged “If she would’ve told you all those years ago would you have gone with her?”

 

“For god sake, Jess” Beca sighed.

 

“No, Beca it’s okay. But would you have?”

 

Beca looked at him with a gentle look on her face as she slowly nodded and said in a more delicate voice “Yeah” she was scared that it would hurt him, so she added straight away “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I felt that whilst we were together. A part of me feels like I was...I dunno  _ disloyal _ ?”

 

“You weren’t disloyal, don’t think that even for a second. I don’t blame you for the break up or your feelings, Becs. And I don’t regret being with you at all”

 

She gave him a tight smile and admitted “Me neither...but like you said I couldn’t help my feelings”

 

“No you couldn’t and look Chloe didn’t say anything because she didn’t know how you felt, in fact she probably thought you didn’t have feelings for her because you were with me, but Bec you  _ know  _ her feelings. You won’t be going in blind sided”

 

“But she’s with someone now, she clearly feels something for him”

 

“You felt something for me yet she would still come out on top” he cooed, letting out a small shrug “You guys have been passing ships long enough don’t you think?”

 

God knows why but her eyes started to fill. It wasn’t so much his words, it was just how much it had been building up in front of her. She now feels comfortable crying in front of him, probably because she’s done it a few times before whereas with the girls other than Chloe they had hardly ever seen that side to her, that truly vulnerable side. She just hates tearing up in public.

 

Jesse saw how her eyes filled and quickly made his way round and sat beside her, putting his arm around her and pulled her close “It’s okay, Beca. Don’t get upset”

 

“I feel like I’m living some kind of lie” Beca admitted with her head buried against his shoulder, after a moment in resting there she pulled back and added as she wiped her cheek “Even though most people are aware in how I feel, because she doesn’t know I still feeling like I’m lying”

 

“At least you’re not lying to yourself anymore” he said gently, rubbing her arm. Beca looked into his eyes and whispered “I did love you, you know. I seriously did” 

 

“I know” he smiled, he shrugged “It just wasn’t the kind that was enough” 

 

She still felt bad about it all which she knows that she shouldn’t because she was just being honest with herself and him when she confessed everything to him the night they broke up. But she still couldn’t help but have that guilt weigh down on her and seeing him now, that he actually is okay with it all and even supportive makes it feel like that weight has been lifted. She’d have visions of him cursing her name under his breath for ruining his life and breaking his heart, but he was never the sort to do that anyway. 

 

Sentiment wasn’t exactly her thing on the best of days so after she admitted all that to him she looked back to her coffee and quickly took it to her mouth. Jesse dropped his hand from her arm and pulled back a little “Look you do what you’ve got to do. That’s how you’ve always been, but if I can say anything to make you go for it then i’m just going to say I know that you guys would love the hell out of each other, and make each other really happy. She’s always made you happier than  _ anyone  _ else” 

 

Beca just glanced to him and bit her lip, not really commenting. Jesse took it for what it was and smiled to her, giving her a slap on her leg and made his way back over to his side of the table “Okay so. Talk to me about making music with DJ Khaled, gotta be cool right?”

 

Beca gave him a tight smile, being grateful for him when he sees that she no longer wants to talk about something cause she no longer wants to be upset by it every minute of everyday, she followed his guide and started talking about something more light. 


	5. Chapter 5

Beca finished applying her nude rose lipstick, she leaned back from the mirror and stood up straight, running her hands down her  _ Elie Saab  _ red dress that was sent for her to wear at this press event tonight. She was never really one to toot her own horn but she had to admit to herself, she looked pretty damn good. She had a car picking her up any time now, but not before Chloe walked through the door after a late night at work, seeing Beca and freezing once she did. Her eyes couldn’t help but look at her up and down, slowly. The way the dress hugged her little curves in all the right places, her hair was loosely curled and fell perfectly past her shoulders. 

 

She looked insanely stunning, completely captivating. There was still a burning desire in the pit of her stomach to grab her and kiss her, but she was still working on moving on from being insanely in love with her. It was a work in progress. Running her fingers through her hair to try and give herself one more fix up, Beca’s eyes finally caught on to Chloe being there. 

 

“Jeez Chlo I didn’t even see you there”

 

Still rather stunned, Chloe managed to say “You look amazing, Beca”

 

_ How have I never noticed that she looks at me like that? I’ve spent my whole miserable life wanting to be looked at like that _

 

“Yeah?” she quizzed with an unconvinced look on her face, looking down at herself once more as she said “Well it’s what was sent to me so I guess I didn’t have a choice, I’m just grateful it’s not pink” 

 

Chloe laughed breathlessly whilst still trying to actually breathe with her eyes still on her, she cleared her throat and snapped out of it, walking to her and smiling “Even if it was you’d still look just as gorgeous”

 

Beca shuddered without notice and then just rolled her eyes “That’s enough with the compliments”

 

“Right. Cause all girls hate to hear how hot they are” Chloe teased with a light smirk as she took off her jacket and put it over the chair at the table, they both then heard a car horn go off outside.

 

Beca sighed and grabbed her clutch purse “Here goes nothing”

 

“You’re gonna be great Beca, everyone is going to love you I promise” 

 

Beca bit her lip, just wishing that Chloe could be going with her, even as just a friend. But as her date sure as hell would have been nice too. She just nodded to her with a smile “Thanks, Chlo. I hope you’re right. I’ll uh-I’ll text you later on”

 

“I’m counting on it, have fun  _ please _ ”

 

Beca huffed another laugh and shot her another smile that the redhead returned as she went to the front door and eventually took herself out. 

 

Theo was waiting outside the car for her, looking down onto his phone. She didn’t actually think he would even be here “I’m pretty sure I said no to you being my date”

 

He faked a laugh “Funny. No I’m here to give you a brief over in the car, plus date or not. You’re going to want a right hand man, believe me”

 

Beca rolled her eyes, taking it for what it was and just got into the car with the door being held open by Theo but she gave no acknowledgement, which he was expecting anyway. He got in the back of the car beside her and then looked to the front “Okay, Michael let’s get moving” 

 

As the car started moving, Theo got straight down to it and told Beca what it was that she could be expecting tonight. People that were be there, artists going from The Weeknd to John Legend to Ariana Grande. _So_ many faces that she knew from pure admiration, as Chloe said, the same people that she had on her playlists. It was crazy and pretty overwhelming but she couldn’t let that show. 

 

She just nodded to his words as she looked out the window whilst Theo rambled on “And if you need any help, I’ll be hanging around” 

 

“Yeah don’t worry about me” Beca sat back in the seat, seeing Theo raise a brow to her “Beca. This is your first press event as an artist, you will probably get a little overwhelmed and it’s okay to reach out for help”

 

“I got it, Theo” she nodded, quickly shutting him off. She didn’t mind him offering his help, it was when he just went on and on about it, like never ending. _That_ is what she couldn’t handle. 

 

Lucky for her though, they were at the event. Theo got out the car first and held his hand out for her, that was just basic manners and the common thing to do at things like this. She grabbed his hand for a hot minute to get out the car and quickly dropped out of it and walked ahead, luckily for her Khaled was waiting to introduce her. Sure he was weird as hell and she barely knew what he was saying half the time but he knew how to work a crowd. 

 

The thing that would take some getting used to was the cameras going off in her face every second, there were bound to be some bad angles in there somewhere. But she didn’t give herself much time to think about that, hell the press didn’t give her much time to think about that as she was steered in the direction of a line of interviews for their shows, some for quite big showbiz channels. 

 

A representative for  _ E!  _ was the first to pull her in for a few words. The word  _ rising star  _ was used a lot, though Beca didn’t really see herself as that yet or even if she would after she released something. 

 

“I imagine all of this has crept up on you, huh?” Giuliana Rancic said before pushing the microphone to Beca, who tried to avoid looking into the camera as much as possible and just keep her eyes on the person asking the question, she shrugged “Yeah I guess. This is the first press event I’ve done but the past month I’ve been working with Khaled and his team so when it comes to making the music, it’s still surreal but I’ve fit into it better than I thought”

 

“Your performance of George Michael’s  _ Freedom  _ took the internet by quite the storm”

 

“Yeah I’ve been told it’s got quite a lot of hits”

 

“You haven’t took a look for yourself?” Giuliana asked with a raised brow, to which Beca shook her head “No, I’m not really on social media that much, though that’ll probably change. It’s the way to promote nowadays” 

 

“You were originally in a group, a pretty successful acapella group when in college. How has it felt going from that to doing this solo?”

 

She felt her stomach drop, Beca cleared her throat and rubbed her lips together before answering the question as honest as she could without sounding sad from missing them “It’s a change for sure. Y’know it’s um-a change” she gently laughed “I guess that’s the best way to put it...but I’ve still got their support with me everyday so it doesn’t feel like I’m doing this totally without them”

 

“The way you pulled them on stage was a bold move, some could say risky”

 

Beca shrugged “In that moment it was just right. I mean that was our last performance on stage as a group at least for a whole anyway, so I wanted to give us all one last go. Sure it was risky but I think Khaled kind of liked that I took that risk, cause I was putting my family first”

 

Giuliana smiled “They’re your family then?”

 

“Oh god, yeah. Always” Beca grinned. The topic then shifted quickly onto what she was working on, but Beca shrugged again and stated simply “Kind of sworn to secrecy and even if I wasn’t I couldn’t tell you because we haven’t really got a solid stamp on it. I can tell you that I feel pretty good about it which is rare, this team of people that I’ve got working beside me  _ actually  _ know what they’re doing”

 

Giuliana laughed and nodded, then thanking Beca for her time before she was pushed aside to do more and the same old thing. Meeting Theo at the end, she muttered to him with a fake smile still plastered on her face for the camera “They all ask the same questions”

 

“Yeah well that’s media for you” Theo said as he put her hand on her back for a brief moment to guide her inside. 

 

She did become pretty thankful that Theo was there, he helped her out whenever he could but she also found herself feeling pretty comfortable. It scared her to the very bones when she had to meet the fellow artists that were there, Grammy award winners.  _ Multi  _ Grammy award winners. All those people who were better than her were stood in this room. 

 

After introducing herself to various people, she finally found the bar. Enjoying a drink by herself, which didn’t last too long with Theo coming up behind her and almost making her choke on her drink from making her jump “I just had a nice chat with Miss Grande”

 

Beca looked over her shoulder to the 24 year old pop superstar who looked completely flawless and then looked back to Theo “Yeah?”

 

“Yep. She likes you, thinks your  _ wit is a killer _ ” Theo ordered a drink before clarifying “In a good way”

 

“Course” Beca muttered as she took her drink to her lips again. Theo looked to her as he saw her rub her forehead “You alright?” 

 

“I’m good” Beca cleared her throat and stood up straight and looked to him “Just surreal”

 

“Give it time. You’ll get used to it, you might even get bored of it” 

 

Beca laughed “I’m sure” 

 

She felt his eyes linger on her, more than usual. Waiting a little bit longer, she finally had to bite and look at him “Got something on my face?”

 

He squinted at her “Why didn’t you bring anyone with you tonight?”

 

“I’m pretty sure you said it would be good for me to come to this thing solo to make it easier”

 

“Yeah but you never exactly listen to me”

 

Beca rolled her eyes “Well this time I did”

 

Theo nodded and took a sip of his drink, before saying again in a shrug “I just thought you’d have brought Chloe. You guys are always together”

 

Beca once again cleared her throat and tried to not let her emotions shine through about her feelings regarding Chloe “She’ll probably come along to some others, I want to bring a lot of the girls to this. I’m making the music but I want them to get some of the experience, the least I can do for them...especially Chloe”

 

Again he nodded “Cute seeing how much you actually care for someone” 

 

Beca raised her brows and slowly nodded as she grabbed her drink and stood up from the bar and then just walked away, best form of action to take. 

 

* * *

 

She got back to the apartment at midnight, expecting that Chloe would still be awake. Probably on the phone to Chicago which made her want to stay away all that bit longer but still she had to get back eventually, no point in holding it off. 

 

Getting her keys out of her bag, before opening the door she heard murmurs. Obviously one was Chloe and the other was more quiet for her to make out, but to assuming it was probably Amy or something she just unlocked the lock and pushed open the door to find Chloe and someone she wasn’t expecting to see for another goddamn week. 

 

_ What the fuck, what the fuck, what the _

_ f u c k? Why is Soldier Ken sat in my fucking apartment? _

 

But he was, he was sat there at the coffee table with Chloe next to him very closely. Her eyes darting between them and their linked  hands. Chloe turned in the midst of her laughter as she saw Beca stood there in the corner of her eye “Bec! You’re back!”

 

“Yeah apparently. Part of me thought I passed out and having some kind of weird dream but…” her eyes shifted to Chicago and it took everything in her power not to call him  _ Soldier Ken  _ like she had been for the past few weeks behind Chloe’s back “Chicago. Thought you weren’t coming till next week”

 

“He surprised me!”

 

Beca tried to keep her excited look for Chloe’s sake “Evidently yeah” 

 

Chicago shrugged “Well I always save my days up for leave for two weeks I just told Chloe I get one so I could surprise her” 

 

_ I’m going to vomit acid _

 

She nodded as she shut the door behind her, trying to swallow her down right horror to save for later when she was alone in bed. Looking to him and successfully lied “Well it’s good to see you again”

 

“Yeah you too. Chloe told me about tonight you look great” 

 

_ Fuck off _

 

Beca gave a tight smile as she filled up the kettle and put it on the stove as she said with hesitation and force “Thanks”

 

Chloe turned in her chair to her “How was it?” 

 

She folded her arms as she turned and leaned against the kitchen counter “It was good- _ great _ . Met a lot of people”

 

“Do you have pictures?” the redhead squealed, Beca smiled and tried not to make it obvious that she melted of the sight of Chloe looking so excited and nodded as she answered sweetly “Yeah a few” 

 

She passed Chloe her phone who unlocked the phone with her own thumb print and she proceeded to scroll as Beca turned to prepare for her drink. Hearing her gasp in the background as she scrolled through the photos of the famous faces that Beca had took pictures with tonight “Beca these are amazing! Oh my god you met so many people”

 

“Theo called it making contacts” she muttered, putting the tea bag in the cup and then adding on in the same tone “Cause he felt the need to take the fun out of it”

 

With her back still to them, she then heard Chicago ask “Did you make any?”

 

_ Shut UP  _

 

Beca took in a breath and slowly turned after pouring the water into her cup and she bobbed the teabag up and down “Did I make any contacts? Uh yeah, a good handful. I was pleased about it” Beca mumbled, scratching her top lip as she walked over and took the phone back from Chloe who handed it over. 

 

Beca put the cup on the table and walked over to her bed, grabbing her slacks and motioned her hand awkwardly over to the bathroom at the back “I’m just gonna change” 

 

Chloe’s eyes followed her, looking at her from behind. She couldn’t help but do it. There was still that magnetism that Beca had which made her want to just gaze at her all day, she was trying to forget. Forget about wanting Beca. Especially when such a great guy was sat next to her. As soon as she opened the door, he scooped her up in his arms, bag dropping to the floor and everything before she even processed who it was, then when she did allow herself to realise she was thrilled, it was a wonderful surprise. 

 

“She okay?” he whispered, leaning towards her and gently stroking the back of her hand. Chloe opened her mouth and glanced to the door before shrugging and answering “Oh, yeah. She’s probably just tired, she gets a little quiet when she’s tired” 

 

As soon as Beca got inside the bathroom, she rang Amy before she even had time to process her current situation in life. Luckily Amy picked up straight away but she knew that she must’ve woke her by the sound of her groggy voice “ _ Jesus, Shawshank. It’s nearly one AM. Did someone die?” _

 

“I wish it was me” Beca whispered erratically, peeping through the crack of the door for a moment at Chloe making out with her boyfriend which made her regret doing so and now wanted to boil her eyes and numb the breaks in her heart. 

 

_ “Hey didn’t you have that press thing tonight?” _

 

Beca silently shut the door again and kept her voice to a minimum “Yeah and that was great. What wasn’t so great was getting home and finding Chloe in the kitchen with her damn boyfriend”

 

_ “What!” _

 

“Chicago is  _ here _ !” she yelled whilst still in a whisper. 

 

_ “I thought he was getting in next week!” _

 

“Apparently that’s just what he told her so that he could surprise her” Beca sighed, running her hand down the side of her face. This felt like hell, she was expecting hell to arrive in seven days, she thought she had more time to get her bearings together and prepare herself. But no. It had to be now. 

 

_ “Well what’re you gonna do?” _

 

Beca rested against the sink and took a breath, she thought for a fair few seconds, rubbing her lips together before shaking her head and answering “I’ll deal with it tonight, but come tomorrow I’m packing to stay with you is that cool?”

 

_ “Got the room all ready for you” _

 

“Already?”

 

_ “I figured something like this was gonna happen so”  _

 

Beca rolled her eyes and stood back up straight, thanking her in a mumble before hanging up and getting changed, she hung her dress up on the back of the door before walking out. Sticking her hands into her slacks as she walked out, trying  _ not  _ to be uncomfortable in all of this and felt like she immediately failed. 

 

She slumped herself down on her bed, crossing her legs as she rested her hands in her lap, now filled up with warmth in taking hold of her cup of tea. Looking down and just staring at it but once the silence with them all grew she couldn’t handle with it cause she knew that she was causing the tension by being the awkward silent one. 

 

Beca cleared her throat and shifted her shoulders as she sat up straight and forced herself to ask “So now that you’re going to be here for…”

 

“Two weeks” he confirmed with a kind smile. Making Beca wanting to implode even more, but she just nodded and plowed through it “You got things planned then, Chlo? Tourist shit and all?”

 

“You bet!” the redhead gushed, her hand gripping onto his forearm for a moment and added on “Well like I told you, he’s never been in the city before”

 

“Nope, never” he agreed.

 

“So yeah we’re going to try and do all of that as much as possible  _ first _ , then the rest of the days we have are just going to be more chilled”

 

Beca bobbed her and head, making it look like she was listening but deep down there was so much shit going on in her mind right now that she couldn’t even listen to anything, she just did the generic response of “Cool, cool” 

 

Chicago motioned his hand to her as he politely offered “The more the merrier, really”

 

_ What do you know, I really  _ **_am_ ** _ in hell _

 

She let out a breathless laugh and shook her head “Nah. It’s cool you guys should have as much time together as possible. Besides I’m probably going to be at the studio more often than not these next few days” 

 

Chloe could sense that something was off with her. For the main reason in being that she’d have expected Beca to come through the door in high spirits after having what seemed to be such a successful night. But she came in, was struck by shock and had slumped down like it was a normal Saturday night, she didn’t read into it too much and didn’t want to mention it in front of Chicago in the danger of dropping the mood even more. 

 

Instead, she just tried to keep it a smooth atmosphere “So how was it with Theo? He still stare a lot?”

 

“Always” Beca scoffed, rolling her eyes.

 

“Theo’s that British guy right? Who worked for DJ Khaled?” Chicago clarified to which both girl nodded to and Beca sighed “Still does...he’s fine and all just...annoying”

 

Chloe huffed, clearly amused which caused Beca’s eyes to go to her and raised a brow “What’s that huff for, Beale?” 

 

“You find most people annoying, Becs”

 

“No” she replied in a higher pitch, waving her hand to her as she hesitated an answer before squeaking out “I never found you annoying. Not even when we showered”

 

Chicago choked just like Beca always dreamt in her head. Except it was only on his drink and he quickly recovered, still part of her said the latter to get a certain reaction out of him which she achieved. Clearly he wasn’t aware about that small detail. Chloe’s cheeks went red for the first time ever, she never grows embarrassed or dares to blush when that story is told, usually she finds it humourous and it was secretly a fond memory of hers. 

 

He looked to Chloe, with his brows raised before laughing out “What?” 

 

Beca watched as Chloe gripped onto the back of her neck and cleared her throat “That was like...what? Six years ago?”

 

The brunette shrugged, with a subtle smirk “Something like that” she looked to Chicago’s still confused face and quickly clarified “Your girlfriend ambushed me in the shower one day and that’s how I ended up in the Bellas”

 

He slowly started to try and piece things together, his finger flicked between the two of them “So were you two like a-”

 

“No” both of them quickly answered, almost defensive, he shrugged “Just cause y’know college was usually the place for people to... _ experiment _ ?”

 

_ She suggested that too  _

 

Beca shook her head “Yeah but no we never” her eyes locked with Chloe’s for a moment and her breath got caught in her throat before she cleared it and teared her eyes away “We never did that”

 

_ But boy did I want to. Both of us did apparently _

 

He just nodded “So it was an innocent ambush”

 

“Yes completely innocent ambush” Chloe laughed airly. Her mind quickly and briefly flashing back to Beca’s body that day before she took her mind off of it and drank her drink. It took everything in Beca not to make the comment that Titanium gets Chloe off but she wasn’t that person who tried to make things uncomfortable, but now being jealous like never before it was hard to control.

 

Just looking at them made her feel nauseous. She could tell that there was some kind of electricity with them. Chloe held onto his arm like she didn’t want to let him go and it really did make her heart ache, it really did make it borderline impossible to keep her eyes on them because it made her just imagine what their living situation could have been if she had spoke up when she did, if she told Chloe that she wasn’t crazy for thinking that Beca could have feelings for her back because she wasn’t nothing other than right. 

 

It could have been Beca’s arm that Chloe was holding onto at the dinner table, it could have been Beca who Chloe squealed over when being surprised by her in coming home earlier than she expected. There were so many  _ could haves  _ that were running through Beca’s mind that was making her go borderline crazy. 

 

Looking to the time, Beca saw it as being past one am a perfect time to excuse herself and get in bed, hoping that her doing that would make them move out of her tea. She drank down the last part of her coffee and may or may not have burnt her tongue but she didn’t care. 

 

“I’m pretty wiped”

 

Chloe looked to her watch “Yeah it is pretty late, and I’ve gotta get up early” 

 

Beca’s brows pinched to them “So what’re you going to do whilst Chloe is at work?”

 

He just shrugged his shoulders “Guess just hang around here and...go for a run to kill some time”

 

“Well I’m not in work for long anyway tomorrow so at least he won’t be hanging around for hours on end” Chloe hummed, to which Beca just nodded at as she slid back on her mattress and pulled her bed sheet back to get under. 

 

Both Chloe and Chicago got up, he went into the bathroom and as soon as he did, Chloe came running over to Beca, crawling on her bed and right over to her “Can you believe it?”

 

“Not even for a second” Beca said with a simmered smile.

 

“It’s like one of the most romantic things any has done for me”

 

It was actually pretty sad that something as small as coming to New York a week before he said he was going to is  _ the  _ most romantic thing that’s ever happened to Chloe. Because Chloe deserves all the romance in the world, all that cringe shit that she eats up is what she deserves. Beca was never that person for anyone, but for Chloe? She’d try so much.

 

Beca just smiled to her, trying not to get emotional in anyway. Chloe bit her lip as she pondered for a moment and then looked back to the brunette “You okay? You seem a little tense”

 

She took in a breath through her nose before slowly bobbing her head and shrugging “I’m cool. Just tired from tonight that’s all...listen Chlo, I’m going to stay at Amy’s for a little bit starting tomorrow”

 

The redhead’s expression suddenly dropped like a ton of bricks “What?” she murmured “Why?”

 

Beca shrugged and kept her tone light and casual “I just figured it’d be best y’know? Whilst Chicago is here”

 

“Becs I would never ask you to-”

 

“I know. I know you wouldn’t, but see this as it being best for us both. Chloe this is the first time you’ve seen him since the tour and will be the last time you see him for the while, it’s my duty as your best friend to give you the space you deserve to spend with him. Plus y’know Amy’s place is closer to my work so it’s not like i’m putting myself out. That way I won’t be the downer that gets to bed early whilst you guys want to spend time together”

 

Beca could see how Chloe warmed to the idea but still felt the need to insist otherwise. Chloe didn’t want Beca to leave, but she was grateful that she would do this and she did want the chance to try and have a normal relationship even if it was for two weeks, before she could argue again, Beca put her hand on Chloe’s arm “Chlo. It’s no big deal, it’s just two weeks, then I’ll be back here”

 

Chloe broke down into a smile, filled with warmth and gratitude. She took hold of Beca’s hand and gave it a squeeze “You’re the best you know that? I don’t know what I did to deserve you” 

 

“I know. I am pretty awesome” 

 

Chloe gently chuckled and then leaned forward, pulling the brunette into a tight hug. Which Beca sunk into quicker than she thought, but she just wanted to take any chance in holding Chloe that she could. Her arms wrapping around her waist for the brief yet all the same warm embrace. Chloe pulled back but not before pressing her lips against her cheek.

 

_ Kiss me on the mouth COWARD _

 

Beca gave her a tight smile before slapping her thigh and saying as she sunk down into her bed “Now get your butt to bed, Beale so I can sleep. And please  _ oh  _ please hold anything off with him till I leave tomorrow”

 

_ I BEG OF YOU _

 

Chloe laughed as she stood “God, Beca. What do you take me for?” 

 

“Someone who was willing to fool around in a tent filled with seven more bodies”

 

“You take things too literal” Chloe played off, though knowing that she was right by that statement. Beca knew that if she wasn’t with Jesse when that little conversation happened in the tent, then she more than likely would have used that as her shot. 

 

Beca closed her eyes as she heard Chicago come out of the bathroom and thankfully Chloe stood by her word and the two of them just got in bed. Still, knowing that they were probably holding each other and dare she think kissing makes her heart ache more than it did before when all she did was imagine it. 

 

Now that it was actually a reality, she’s never wanted to leave Chloe’s side before until now. 


	6. Chapter 6

Beca sat back in her chair as the phone rang, having it out on speaker phone as she just waited and then suddenly heard  _ “Hey!” _

 

She grinned and opened her eyes again as she sat up in her chair and leaned to her phone “Hey, Legacy how’re you doing?”

 

_ “I’m good! Ace’d my exam so I’m glad that hell is over”  _

 

“Nice one. So you’re done for spring break now right?”

 

_ “Right” _

 

“Cool so how does a trip to New York sound, all expenses paid for?” Beca said in a casual tone, looking down to her fingernails and smirked as she  _ heard  _ the silence fall. She could just picture Emily’s face being completely struck right now and then heard it in her voice  _ “Ar-Are you serious!” _

 

“Totally serious, we talked about you coming over and showing me your new stuff”

 

_ “Yeah but! But I didn’t think you’d actually be sending me over” _

 

Beca shrugged “Technically it’s the studio that will be sending you over but yeah, come on kid I’m a woman of my word you know that. And I’ve said from the beginning in taking this job that I want you guys to ride it out with me whenever you can. You said you had some new stuff and I want to hear it out and see if I can fit it into my tracks”

 

_ “This is crazy!” _

 

“Are you in?”

 

_ “Of course! It’s not even just the excitement of that it’s-I’ll get to see you and Chloe!”  _

 

Beca rested her head in her hand and hummed before mumbling “She might be a little busy with Chicago”

 

Practically hearing Emily’s frown as the youngster said  _ “You okay?” _

 

Beca quickly cleared her throat and shook it off “Yeah i’m good. Staying with Amy so my brain doesn’t implode...anyway Legacy I’m going to put through the booking for you right now. This friday your butt is getting on a plane and you’re spending the weekend here” 

 

_ “You’re the best!” _

 

“I’ve been told” she flatly agreed as she opened up safari and went on the airlines website for booking “I just called in to let you know, I’ll send you over all the details soon” 

 

_ “Ah! Okay! Thank you so much!” _

 

“Don’t sweat it, I’ll talk to you soon okay?”

 

_ “Yeah! Bye!”  _ she hang, Beca only muttering the words back to her with a small smile still on her face as she hung up. Emily is simply and utterly adorable. Not only did Beca want her over here for her talent, but she also felt like she needed all the people she could could get that she could vent to. And even though Amy was easy to talk to, Emily always gave really good advice. With her being a genuinely emotional and deeply insightful human being, she says the things you need to hear. 

 

So maybe doing this nice thing for her was partly selfish but hell it was all working out for everyone, god knows Chloe will love seeing her the sentimental mush ball that she is. 

 

_ Beca [1:14PM]: Em is coming this weekend _

 

_ Chlo [1:14PM]: WHAT! OMG! Are you serious?! _

 

Beca grinned, biting her lip as she could hear the excitement burst through her text. Making her stomach feel all warm and gooey.

 

_ Beca [1:15PM]: Dead serious. The studio is paying for her flights for her to come over and show me her work. She’s just started out her spring break so what better way than to spend a few days here _

 

_ Chlo [1:15PM]: That’s so awesome, aw Bec! More things to look forward too! :D _

 

Life is sure going more sweet for Chloe than it is for anyone else. Relationship, career and friends. If she didn’t know any better Beca would say she was blissful. 

 

She pushed on with her work, loading up the beats that she had been working on. They sounded good, not great, not something that she would give herself a self high five over but it was good. Just some areas she needed to work on, for now the only vocals on it were her just humming at the type of tone she was looking at for it. The studio AKA Khaled was hoping that Beca would come up with a solid product sooner rather than later. Just something she was confident enough to pass over for him to overview, that’s all he asked from her. And she was working on it best she could.

 

Hopefully bringing Emily over with her song drafts will be the final piece of the puzzle. She wanted to feel successful in this field, she finally had her line of work cut out for her and she didn’t want to start feeling like she was drowning. This was only the beginning for god sake she can’t be struggling yet. Though, Chloe said to her a few weeks back that maybe the first one was supposed to be difficult, then the ones after would be easier. She hoped that that was the case. Chloe was usually right with this whole optimistic thing whilst Beca remained all the more cynical, especially when it came to her own work. 

 

It had been hard for her to concentrate since she had to now deal with Chicago being here, it had only been four days since and she wasn’t sure how she was to get through it. Ten days to go. Ten days may as well be ten months cause that how it felt like it was going. She had left for Amy’s after work three days, she didn’t know whether Chloe was even sad about it or not, she was so wrapped up with Chicago. Then she told herself that she begged Chloe the night before not to feel guilty cause she would come back once the two weeks past so maybe that’s why she wasn’t as upset as she would be. 

 

_ Or maybe she’s so in love her with new hoity toity soldier boy that she no longer gives a shit about tiny Beca Mitchell  _

 

Her mind split in two ways with this situation. She tried not to let that come into her work but she just couldn’t help it. She couldn’t help but make everything personal. On the plus side of her sad life, she was told by Theo that Khaled had sent his congratulations from his jet on the way back to LA, he said that she got a huge amount of love and praise from the press event. She never thought she would actually be described as  _ charming  _ but that word was flown around a few times. 

 

Knowing that she was making a good impression with just being herself was a good first step in this business, hopefully the music she creates will make an even bigger impression. That’s what they really wanted them to know her for, not young and charming cause that can come across the same as  _ young and naive _ . No she wanted to be  _ talented _ . Simply known as talented. 

* * *

 

_ “Beca what!”  _ Stacie cackled on the other side of the phone. 

 

Chloe rubbed her forehead with a smirk, sitting back in the practise room. She only had a twenty minute break, she had to keep working because she asked for the whole of next week off which was granted. Chicago surprising her early was lovely, but he had to handle the fact that she couldn’t change her work schedule for it.

 

“She just came out with it”

 

_ “Beca never mentions the shower thing” _

 

“I don’t know I guess she thought it was funny” Chloe mumbled, still with a smirk on her face “Kinda was”

 

Stacie knew full well why Beca had come out with it, it wasn’t random or a slip of the tongue. She was jealous, it was like she was trying to make Chicago aware of something without trying to jeopardize. But she was to keep all of that to herself, still she couldn’t help but joke  _ “It’s a good thing she doesn’t remember that kiss” _

 

Chloe sank in her chair, her whole body suddenly going all warm and gooey. Yes, the kiss. The kiss that Beca has zero recollection of “She was so drunk it’s no surprise she doesn’t remember it”

 

_ “Oh but you do”  _ Stacie sang.

 

“Stop it”

 

_ “Hey look, i know you’ve got a beau now but you can’t deny that doesn’t still make you tingle”  _

 

Chloe opened her mouth to speak but no words of denial or argument were able to leave. Giving Stacie all the answer she needed to know. 

 

_ It was four years ago. In between Beca and Jesse’s first three years. They briefly broke up, had some fight that was still unknown to Chloe this day but they broke up nonetheless. Beca was more angry than upset. She was really pissed with him, so much so that she agreed to going out to a party with the girls that night and drank. Like a lot.  _

 

_ Chloe was trying to take care of her as much as she could, asking her if she was alright. But Beca just rolled her eyes “Chlo, I don’t even want to think about it right now. I’ll talk tomorrow I promise. Right now do what you do best and put me in a good mood” _

 

_ It warmed her heart, how could it not? Beca openly admitted that it was Chloe who could make her feel good. That’s all she’s ever wanted. So she did as she was asked and stopped asking questions, instead she was just fun loving Chloe and Beca certainly did perk up. It wasn’t like Beca to drink too much, but on the odd occasion when she was feeling a strong emotion whichever it may be, she does get drunk.  _

 

_ Drunk Beca was a rarity so it was fun when she came out cause the girls are still getting to know that side of her. She danced, she hugged all the girls and told them how much they all meant to them. Drunk Beca was soft as hell. It was near the end of the night, Chloe was stood by a bar table when Beca came over to her. _

 

_ “What’re you doing here on your own?” _

 

_ “I know” Chloe gasped, then teasing “Usually it’s you” _

 

_ Beca blew a raspberry and rolled her eyes. Though knowing that Chloe was 100% right in what she was saying. She just nudged her, it fell silent for a moment. Beca turned and looked at her,  _ **_really_ ** _ looked at her. Chloe cocked a brow “Something on my face?” _

 

_ “You’re just so fucking beautiful, how do you do it?” Beca squinted, leaning forward ever so slightly, causing Chloe to blubber a nervous laugh and go all red. She was surprised when she felt Beca’s hand go behind her ear, sinking into her hair. _

 

_ “Your hair..” it gently travelled to her cheek “Your eyes…” the back of her fingertips brushed against her skin, making Chloe lose her breath as she watched Beca gaze at her. Seeing the brunette gently smile as she whispered so quietly it was almost silent “Your lips…”  _

 

_ Chloe swallowed thickly, not knowing where this was going but she had been looked at like this before. Just by previous people she had dated like Tom. Beca’s eyes quickly met hers and she swore she heard her say in the same silent voice “Shit. I love you” _

 

_ Before Chloe could even try to clarify what may or may not have been said, Beca leaned forward and pressed her lips against hers. A deep,  _ **_hot_ ** _ kiss. Beca’s tongue brushing over hers as she pulled her close. One hand on her hip and one on her jaw. It lasted a fair few seconds, probably not as many as it felt but it was one hell of a kiss. It was everything Chloe had ever wanted. She sunk into it straight away, letting out a sweet noise as she rested her body against hers even more. _

 

_ Pulling away, they stared at each other. Breathless. Beca then ran off but not because she was horrified for what had happened. But because she had to throw up. Chloe assumes it was the amount of alcohol is what has made her throw up not the kiss. Chloe went after her to help her, she held her hair and rubbed her back. Shortly after they all went home and Beca passed out on the couch as soon as she made contact with it.  _

 

_ Not everyone saw the kiss, but Cynthia and Jessica did and they then went and of course told everyone else. They couldn’t not do it, they’d all been waiting for it as much as Chloe. Stacie even texted Aubrey to let her know what had happened. Chloe went to bed that night insanely confused yet insanely happy.  _

 

_ Unfortunately the next morning entailed of Beca having no clue of anything that had happened past 10PM. She wasn’t lying either, she really had no idea. That next morning also led to Jesse coming round first thing and Chloe came downstairs to see them talking, not helping but spy on them as they sat in the kitchen. When Beca let Jesse hold onto her hand and then kiss her cheek she knew that they had clearly patched it up and got back together.  _

 

_ Chloe walked in a few long seconds later and that was when Beca asked if she had done anything stupid the night before. It took all the strength not to tell her that they had kissed and that it was anything but stupid. In fact it was amazing, but she cared about her too much to mess anything up and now in her point of view, Jesse was who Beca really wanted. So she smiled and said “No you were fine, just a little mushy” _

 

_ To which Beca rolled her eyes “That’s why I don’t drink too much” _

 

_ Chloe laughed and forced herself to ask “So you guys are okay?” _

 

_ “Yeah. The fight was stupid, he thought I liked someone else…” Beca looked at Chloe up and down and cleared her throat “When I didn’t respond straight away it just all went crazy” _

 

_ “Why didn’t you respond?” _

 

_ Beca shrugged “I was just taken off guard by the question” she sighed and once again shrugged her shoulders “I don’t know I guess my head was just a little all over the place but him coming back over here and we talked it out, we’ve just agreed to put it under the carpet and move on from it” _

 

_ Chloe gave a tight smile “Well if that’s what you want then that’s the best thing” _

 

_ Beca looked at her and then just nodded before making the three of them a cup of coffee. At the time, Beca didn’t know if it was what she wanted or not. The argument was about Chloe, the first big argument they had. Jesse saying that he wasn’t blind and that they didn’t act how friends act sometimes, the way they looked to each other and acted around each other. Beca didn’t respond straight away, not because she was off guard but because she didn’t know how to answer because she knew that he wasn’t exactly wrong. But Jesse was safe, Jesse was easy and she did care for him so getting back together was more rational.  _

 

_ If she remembered the kiss, maybe things would have been different. If she remembered how amazing and right it felt. If she remembered the kiss then she would know Chloe’s feelings too, but she didn’t. She didn’t remember any of it. So she went back to what she knew best and so did Chloe.  _

 

Chloe pulled herself out of the flashback and shook her head “Like I said she was drunk”

 

_ “Still. From how Cynthia described she was kissing you like she was sober” _

 

Chloe rolled her eyes and then heard Stacie add  _ “And you said you think you heard her say that she loved you” _

 

“She was telling everyone that she loved them that night” 

 

_ “She didn’t make out with us straight after” _

 

She had been through this with the girls many times, they told her that the kiss meant something but Chloe failed to see how it did if she went back to Jesse. The girls  _ then  _ tried to say if she remembered it may be different. But Chloe kept her mouth shut in that case like she did for all those years, Beca was choosing to be with Jesse. Clearly she loved him, and Jesse was her friend. She couldn’t try and sabotage that. 

 

“We’ve been through all of this. It’s four years in the past. Ancient history” 

 

_ “Course. You’ve moved on now right?” _

 

Chloe remained silent long enough for Stacie to pry more  _ “ _ **_Right?_ ** _ ”  _

 

She cleared her throat and nodded “Right. I am moving on, swear”

 

All of the girls really were in a situation. They couldn’t just come and blurt out that Chloe shouldn’t be moving on because Beca Mitchell had been in love with her all along, they couldn’t out her like that and cause problems with their relationship as a whole which is why the two of them remained silent about it in the first place. Stacie noticing how Chloe said  _ moving on  _ and not that she had completely moved on told her that Chloe clearly wasn’t over Beca.

 

They were all hoping that there would still be a chance. 

* * *

 

Beca hadn’t seen Chloe today and she doubted that she would. Now that she was staying at Amy’s she was expecting not to see her  _ every  _ day, especially with Chicago being there. When she left the studio and reached Amy’s which was at around 5PM. 

 

Amy was of course already there, with all the money she had there was no need for her to work anymore. But she had started in making her own tribute show, not for money but just because she enjoyed doing it when she felt like it. As soon as she came in she went straight into her room to get into her slacks. Coming out and seeing that there was some chicken chow mein with her name on it. 

 

She grabbed the box and walked over to the couch where Amy was sat, letting out a heavy breath as she did. Amy eyed her “Don’t bring that negative energy into my place, Mitchell”

 

Beca just huffed, amused “Sorry”

 

“Is this because you’ve seen Chloe’s instagram?”

 

Beca’s head snapped to her friend “What?”

 

Amy’s face soon dropped to being awkward and downright uncomfortable, she had landed herself in it now “Oh. You haven’t”

 

The brunette then reached for her phone, despite Amy telling her not to. But she couldn’t not look now could she? 

 

_ chlobeale: it’s only been four days but already having the best time with my guy @chicagowalp_ #Itsgonnabeamushyweek _

 

Beca swallowed thickly as she then looked at the set of five photos that she had posted. A candid one of him laughing in bed, the bed at she used to share with her, then a total of two selfies together. One when they went to the statue of liberty yesterday, having those dumb hats on (which she envied now with a passion) and the other that someone had taken of them together in Times Square, his hand holding her waist tight as he held her close. The last one being her with his army tag on. 

 

She didn’t know whether she wanted to throw her phone across the room or just cry. Maybe both would be therapeutic but she decided to do neither, instead she just stared and was then stupid enough to like it. She feels like she would be a shitty friend if she went through her post and not leave a like, it was the best friend code to support on social media no matter how much it hurt. She just cleared her throat and locked her phone, putting it back down beside her, keeping her eyes on her food as she jabbed it with her fork. She could feel Amy’s eyes on her and they weren’t going to leave until Beca looked back at her. 

 

She rolled her eyes and then did so “It’s whatever” 

 

“I bet you ten dollars you will look at that post at least five more times tonight”

 

Beca just sighed and looked back at the TV. Trying to focus on anything but this topic “She has every right to post things with her boyfriend he isn’t here for long”

 

“Do you want to not talk about it?”

 

“ _ Please _ ” Beca grumbled. Looking down at her noodles and sighing as she dropped her fork into the box and sat back “Now I’m not even hungry”

 

“Jealousy will do that to a person” Amy mumbled as she put a spring roll in her mouth. Beca just gave her a stern eye but didn’t comment, she just put the chow mein on the coffee table and sat back into her slouching position, folding her arms and watching the rest of the Bachelor. Not knowing whether the cheesy reality show all about love was making her feel better or worse. 

 

“So you got my text before” Beca stated with her eyes still on the TV “Bout Legacy”

 

“Got it”

 

“And you’re really cool with her staying here?”

 

“Yes”

 

Beca looked to her “You’re not going to call her dumb or inarticulate all the time?”

 

Amy rolled her eyes and pleaded her innocence by the simple words of “When in Europe!” she dropped her arms and looked to Beca, shrugging “Besides she became less stupid as time went on”

 

Beca raised her brows and shook her head “Fine. As long as you keep it cool. Remember she’s only here for the weekend” 

 

Beca loved Amy a lot. But she was very protective over Emily like any big sister would be and it was always hard to see Emily’s face drop when Amy would put her down, even when she said that she was kidding. Emily was still a sensitive person who took it to heart. Beca was the first person to grab Amy and drag her away when she went to fight the young girl back in Spain, she’d do that everytime no matter what. The only reason she asked was because if Amy wasn’t cool with it, then Chloe said that she was more than welcome to stay with her.

 

But Emily was similar to Beca in the fact that she didn’t want to feel like an intruder or third wheel by staying there with her and Chicago. Beca then grabbed her phone again, but not for the reason that Amy thought. 

 

_ Beca [5:56PM]: Hey stranger, still pretty bummed out on how you bailed the other week. Think you can make it up to me? _

 

_ Benji [5:58PM]: Hey now I said I was sorry! But of course I can, tickets by any chance?  _

 

_ Beca [5:58PM]: I gotta stop being predictable. But yeah, Em is in town so I figured it’d be good, maybe the star of the show will even get some drinks with us afterwards _

 

_ Benji [5:59PM]: Think I can make that happen, haha. How many we talking? And which night? _

 

Not looking up from her phone, Beca asked Amy “Hey Amy. Gonna come to Benji’s show this Saturday?”

 

“Which one was Benji again?”

 

Beca just looked at her and rolled her eyes before taking them back to the phone “Just make sure you’re free on Saturday”

 

“Okay”

 

Beca did the math in her head and then frowned on one of the tickets that she will have to put forward. She can’t exactly make Chicago stay at home whilst they all go out. Biting her tongue and swallowing her bitter pill she then responded.

 

_ Beca [6:00PM]: Saturday night, and five tickets  _

 

_ Benji [6:00PM]: Five? Another Bella joining? _

 

_ Beca [6:01PM]: No, Chloe’s new boy toy _

 

_ Benji [6:01PM]: Oh. Well okay then! Consider it done! :) _

 

_ Beca [6:01PM]: Thanks Benj, looking forward to it I’m sure you’re gonna rock it. Have a good one tonight.  _

 

Beca locked the phone and placed it beside her once again. It wasn’t until she said that she was wiped and took herself to her room. Amy was used to it by now, these past few days it was like she was living with a love sick, heartbroken teenager. Beca herself knew that she was like that and she hated herself for it. But all the different kind of emotions she was feeling on a day to day basis. Guilt for keeping quiet, stupid for keep quiet, angry, upset and heartbroken all from keeping quiet overrode her mind and worn her out so much that she was exhausted because she was feeling it everyday. 

 

She even went to the extent of coming up with the suggestion to herself to burn off some steam by going running or something, that’s when she realised she was fucked up. She only thought about it though she didn’t actually do it. 

 

Amy was right though, when she got in bed she did go back onto her phone and look through Chloe’s post, going back and forth through the pictures. She then even went to extent on going onto Chicago’s pictures after seeing his love heart and love eyes comment. 

 

He too posted a photo of them, a selfie of him kissing her forehead with the following caption of:

 

_ @chicagowalp_: crazy how things work out  _

 

It was also pretty crazy how things don’t work out. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The songs that will be 'written' are going to be already made songs because I'm lazy with trying to think of lyrics and it'll be easier for you guys to imagine.

Beca stood at the gate, waiting for Emily to walk out. Chloe wanted to be there but she had to work overtime by an hour as it was her last shift for the week. Amy was keeping Chicago company so God knows what that conversation was going to be like.

 

It was weird being stood there because she had people every so often look at her as they walked past and mumbled something to each other. Probably wondering where they know her from and why she looks so familiar. She’s not been approached by anyone though, that’s only ever happened a handful of time over the past few weeks mainly  by youngs girl in the street, claiming that they watches the video all the time and it was an amazing version of the song. Beca thought she would hate being approached by people, she was pretty socially awkward with strangers. But it was sweet, when she could tell that they were being genuine and they really did love what she did.

 

She didn’t have to wear sunglasses and caps everytime she stepped out the door _just_ yet but if that time comes then she will know that she’s made it. A few short minutes later and Beca eventually saw the young brunette come through the gate. Seeing the bright young thing was enough to make her grin.

 

And when Emily saw her waiting for her she soon grinned even more. She loved Beca with everything she had, she admired her so much even before she went to Barden and became a Bella. She really was like a sister to her and how many people can say that the person you were pretty much a fan of from being fourteen was now a big sister to you.

 

Emily squealed and then jumped into Beca’s arms, wrapping hers around her neck and letting out an excited laugh. Beca gave her a tight squeeze before pulling back and saying in an overwhelmed laugh “Hey kid, good to see you too”

 

“Sorry I’m just so excited”

 

“Yeah I can tell” Beca muttered with a smirk as they pulled away “How was the flight?”

 

“Great. Thank you again, like so much for it. You put me in business class!”

 

Beca raised a brow and whispered as if it were a secret “The _studio_ did that”

 

“Right” Emily nodded, playing along. Beca smiled to her and then gave her a light nudge with her elbow “Come on then. Got a cab waiting outside”

 

“Cab? No fancy car from _the studio_?”

 

Beca’s head spun to the young girl and her teasing and raised her brows again before mumbling “Now you’re asking for too much, Legacy”

 

Emily just giggled and then followed her outside the the cab rank. Beca as expecting questions about the whole Chloe thing as soon as she got in the cab and it started it’s route, but she also knew Emily. She knew what she was like, the anxious and awkward nature she had when getting into something personal.

 

So Beca made it easy “It’s hell”

 

Emily looked to her “Huh?”

 

She then smirked and rolled her eyes, looking over to the young girl as she said “Come on, Emily. I know you’re wanting to know how it’s been since he came. I also know you’ve seen her post like me cause we’ve both liked it”

 

Beca just kept her eyes on her for a moment and saw Emily’s tight and almost sympathetic smile, Beca gave a nod and repeated her statement before “It’s hell I’m in hell”

 

Emily frowned “I’m so sorry, Beca”

 

“It’s my own fault I guess” she muttered, looking at the window and then just shrugged. Also hearing Emily add “No it’s not. I mean, Chloe also kept her mouth shut because she didn’t know your feelings for her. You only found out about hers a few weeks ago”

 

Beca took in a breath and sat back in her seat “Yeah I guess, still Chloe also kept her mouth shut because of Jesse, I don’t have that excuse of not saying anything cause she had a boyfriend. We’ve both been single for a few years part of me kicks myself for not taking that shot” she shook her head “Guess I have the boyfriend excuse now...wish I hadn’t”

 

“If it helps, none of the girls think it will last between them. Chloe loves the dramatic romance kind of thing, but I don’t think she’ll be able to stomach him being overseas so much...I also think that there’s no way she’s over you”

 

Beca looked to her and smiled. Grateful for her words and knew that she was just saying it, she really thought that, but once again she shrugged “But we don’t know for sure and can’t say that we do...I don’t want Chloe to go through any pain anyway. Just want her to be happy y’know”

 

Emily nodded and then raised her brows “And we all want you to be happy”

 

“Yeah well. My source of happiness is occupied right now” she let out a pitied laugh “Thank god my career is doing good else I’d really be depressed”

 

She felt the young brunette grip to her hand as she added “Got your friends too, right?”

 

Beca gave her hand a squeeze and nodded “Yeah course” she cleared her throat and sat back up straight, sliding her hand out from beneath Emily’s and pointed to her.

 

“Speaking of friends. We’re seeing a show tomorrow”

 

“What’s that got to do with friends?” Emily laughed, then getting just a look from Beca which quickly made her realise. But it didn’t make her feel uncomfortable or made her instantly dread it, actually seeing Benji would be quite good. There was no bad blood between them and she still cares about him dearly as a friend.  

 

“That should be fun”

 

“If you think it’ll be awkward then” Beca shrugged but Emily shook her head, waving her hand “No it won’t be! I’m proud of Benji, it’ll be great seeing him in action”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yes!” Emily assured with a gleaming smile.

 

Beca sighed out of pure relief and nodded “Good. Besides, I’ll be going to it with the girl I’m in love with _and_ her boyfriend so if you feel awkward at any point in the night just think of that”

 

She let out a breathless and self pitied laugh as Emily also laughed with sympathy wedged in with it.

 

* * *

 

Chloe met with Beca and Emily in Amy’s apartment, more space and everything than their little cramped one. She ran out of the elevator as soon as it opened up, the thing that bonded Chloe and Emily was that they were both emotional squealey people and thrive off a good hug which is what they got when hugging each other. Chloe cradled the young girls head and rocked her side to side.

 

Leaving Beca to stand awkwardly with Chicago. Where was Amy when you needed her to make an inappropriate joke? Downtown trying to rent out an entire bar to do her performance that’s where. Beca just stood with her arms folded and gave Chicago a tight smile, which he returned.

 

_Don’t fucking smile at me._

 

Chloe gave Emily’s arms a squeeze as she pulled back “Oh it’s so good to see you I miss you!”

 

“I miss you guys too” Emily frowned “So much. And I’m really looking forward to this weekend, just wish all the of the girls could be here”

 

Beca dropped her arms and put her hand on Emily’s back as she briefly stated with a kind expression “Don’t worry Em we’ll be due for a reunion soon enough”

 

Emily just grinned to her as Beca passed and went over to the kitchen, calling if anyone wanted a drink to which they all agreed on. They weren’t going to go all heavy or anything, Emily could have a bud cause besides it was only like 3% it was fine.

 

They sat round the large L shaped couch, Emily on one side and Chicago on the other with Beca and Chloe in the middle. One thing that Chicago had learned about Beca and Chloe was that you couldn't get them apart when they were together even if you tried. It was like subconscious magnetism that they have never really took a large amount of notice. It was what it was to them. Chicago however was still trying to find his place in it all, the way the friendship group worked was something that he still had to get an idea of.

 

“So what’s Benji’s show about again?” Chloe asked.

 

Beca thought for a moment and then quickly remembered “About a teenager who suffers with social anxiety, he writes letters to get through his day or something. Music is meant to be awesome”

 

“And the acting of course” Chloe then teased with a small smirk written across her face, Beca looked to her and huffed a small laugh and then nodded “Yeah course. Anyway I spoke to Benji before and he’s going to take us to this bar near the theatre for drinks afterwards”

 

“Aw yay!” the redhead squealed “Having Emily here and seeing Benji it’s like a mini reunion!”

 

It was the little things in life that got Chloe all excited, and it was one of the many things that made Beca’s heart melt. She smiled at her fondly for a few quick seconds and then looked back down to her drink as Chicago spoke up and directed his words to Emily “So you graduate this year right?”

 

“Yeah” Emily said, her palms rubbing hard together “Gotta go into the real world soon. It’s terrifying”

 

Beca and Chloe stared at her in silence for a moment as they both tried to think on what to say, Beca then nodded “Yeah you’re right there get ready”

 

Chloe swatted her back “Ignore her, Em. You’re going to do great”

 

Emily smiled to her and then looked to Beca “Yeah and you can’t say that when you’re on your way to be a successful artist”

 

“But I wasn’t for a fair few years”

 

It fell silent again. Chloe leaned back against the coach with her squinted eyes still on the back of Beca “You were a music producer”

 

Beca groaned and rolled her eyes, giving back no comment and just took a sip of her drink again. She clearly wasn’t going to win with them here so the best option was to stop trying. Emily asked Chicago if he was enjoying his time here in the city, she knew that Beca didn’t really want to hear it but she couldn’t come across rude. He was considerate about her enough she had to return the favour.

 

_Thanks, Legacy. You lovely idiot_

 

Beca watched Chloe’s hand slid up his leg from his knee and rest on his side, giving him a smile and a wink as he immediately said yes. Of course he was enjoying his time in New York, he was spending it with the sweetest and most beautiful woman on the damn planet. Hell half (all) the reason Beca enjoyed living in New York is because she gets to live in it with her.

 

“Foods certainly better than I’ve had to deal with for the past few years” he laughed, then looking to the woman on his right and smirked “Company is too”

 

Chloe mumbled a _‘awh’_ nose and gripped to his hand, sitting up from leaning against the back of the couch and kissed him. Beca just looked to Emily who quickly mouthed _“Sorry”_ but it wasn’t her fault. She can’t control where Chloe’s mouth went, though that would be pretty helpful if she could. Beca just waved her hand to her as a way to tell her nod to worry about it, she’s dealt with watching Chloe kiss people in the past. Though every time she wanted to pull her teeth out.

 

They pulled apart, Chloe briefly gripped to his chin as she adorably scrunched her nose up at him and then faced Emily and Beca once again as she then came up with the idea “We should all go out for food together tomorrow night before the show”

 

“Sounds like a plan!” Emily grinned, with Beca just nodding along with it.

 

_I can sit through one dinner with them...right? Yeah...maybe?_

 

* * *

 

When she knew the studio was borderline empty, Beca took Emily there that night to show her around and maybe even work on things a little. The main reason she didn’t take her during the day wasn’t because she wasn’t allowed to be because she was, she was a boss bitch now she could do what she likes. It’s mainly because she knows Emily and knows how much she will fangirl over people, people she hasn’t even heard of but she will still freak out because they are _there_ so they must be worth it.

 

It was better for everyone's lives if she just brought her when the sun went down. Still, she had various moments where she got very excited over just the studio as a building. The fucking studio was a celebrity to her. Beca had to keep hold of her wrist and just guide her through, pulling her everytime she wanted to stop and giving her no choice but to move her feet.

 

Beca threw her _(delicately)_ into her office that had a sound mix and everything in it. Her office was her favourite thing perhaps. It’s the only thing she felt can’t hurt her right now, it over looks the entire city which at night is only the best thing in the world. And it’s spacious as hell so that was always nice, _oh_ and soundproof so she can groan with frustration with anything she wants without people knowing.

 

“Holy shit” Emily breathed, causing Beca’s head to snap up as she closed the door behind them “Emily Marie Junk, watch your damn mouth” she walked further into the office and muttered under her breath “My god you’re a baby”

 

Emily just giggled and shrugged as she trailed “Sorry. Can’t believe this is all yours-actually no, scratch that I can but it’s still crazy”

 

“Yeah damn right I still have to punch myself” Beca stood up straight from scribbling something down on a piece of paper, something she was supposed to do hours ago but got distracted with life and the pain of living it.

 

“You mean pinch yourself?”

 

“You’d be surprised” Beca breathed, dropping the pen back down on the desk and then tapping the young girl’s hip for her to come and sit down at the table with her where it was much more comfortable and chill and less like a business transaction where Emily will be selling her soul away.  

 

Beca slouched down in the leather chair, tucking one leg up with her knee against her chest and rested her arm against it as they dove into the lyrics that Emily had came up with pretty well and holy shit they were good. This was something Beca wish she had the flare for, she can make a great beat any day but when it came to actual song writing she really struggled. She didn’t really have the patience for it or the confidence. Something tells her that if she sat down and thought about what she was currently feeling now then she would be able to come out with a lyric or two, but that wasn’t her. She didn’t do things like that. Never even as a kid did she have a diary or anything where she wrote down her feelings even when knowing that only her would read it, it was the fear that someone would read or hear it and connect the dots.

 

“Jesus, Em you’re so freaking talented” Beca shakes her head as she takes notes for the lyrics, then using the pen as a beat against the table, humming as she saw how it would fit and it really did.

 

“Thanks” she blushed, then shrugging “It’s just something i’ve been playing around with”

 

“Well keep playing, kid cause this is solid. I think another solid demo could be made”

 

“Seriously?!” Emily squealed, Beca nodded and looked to her with a kind face “Course. Here’s the thing though, with the studio and the music I produce it’d have be sung by you know a” she proceed to air quote the word “ _Professional_...but look you don’t have to-”

 

“Have my lyrics maybe being sung as an actual record? Is that what you were going to say?”

 

Beca just shrugged “You’d be signing it over if I used it”

 

“Beca knowing my songs would be used in general will mean the world” Emily shrugged. They didn’t have to get into that yet though, Beca was only toying around right now just to see if it could. Then she’s got to get other people’s opinions in the studio and go from there. It was a heavy and long process, so that part wasn’t needed, they were just having some fun here.

 

Emily looked over to the window again and shook her head “Man it really is beautiful”

 

Beca just nodded, rubbing her forehead as she slowly sunk into her thoughts. Emily got up again and roamed around the office. Going behind Beca’s desk and seeing things she didn’t think she would actually see on the desk of Beca Mitchell. Picture frames.

 

One on either side, one was a photo of all the girls together that was just after graduation when they had one last blow out night together, it was filled with laughter and tears.

 

The one on the other side was of just Beca and Chloe, it was a photo that Chloe had taken on her phone. Her head resting on Beca’s shoulder from behind as she held out the phone in front of them, Beca’s head slightly tilted against the redhead and had a genuine bright smile. It was rare to get a selfie with Beca at times, especially one when she looked so gleeful. But Emily supposed because it was with Chloe, Beca was probably just genuinely happy.

 

She stood corrected though, there were three photos not two. But the third wasn’t another frame. It was a polaroid that was stuck in the corner of the photoframe of her and Chloe. It was of just Chloe. She was laughing, clearly Beca had said something stupid to make her laugh like she was, a coffee in one hand as the other was simply flat out. Her eyes were closed in the midst of her laughter and clearly had no idea it was being take, it was adorable. What was even more adorable was the fact that Beca had it right there.

 

Emily looked over to Beca and saw her still sat there, still rubbing her forehead. She was really beside herself. She acted fine but she wasn’t, she was devastated by this whole situation. She really does love Chloe. Beca stared down at the lyrics.

 

 

_'All I ask is_

_If this is my last night with you_  
_Hold me like I'm more than just a friend_  
Give me a memory I can use  
_Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do_  
 _It matters how this ends_  
 _'Cause what if I never love again?'_

 

The song was about missed chances and Beca wondered what made Emily get into that space, but honestly it had nothing to do with her personally. Emily would get inspired by anything, from a movie to two people on the street. She loved observing, _that_ was her inspiration. Maybe she _was_ thinking of Beca and Chloe from time to time without even realising. But whether she did or not didn’t matter, it made Beca tear up all same.

 

It was like when she had her music on when either getting through paperwork and in a cab and a song comes on that just grips her, she had been much more emotional lately it was sickening, she hated it. It was like she couldn't get a handle on it. As she heard Emily come back over, she quickly wiped the tear that ran down her cheek and cleared her throat as she sat up straight, trying to look like the regular _always cool Beca Mitchell_. But Emily could see through it.

 

She said nothing, she just wrapped her arms around her neck from behind and gave her a squeeze, Beca sighed. Knowing that this was an embrace of pity and sympathy, but she still felt like she needed it. She closed her eyes and gently tapped Emily’s hand as a kind of thank you.

 

“This is literally the last thing I wanted” Beca lamented, letting out another sigh as Emily pulled her arms back and sat back down on the chair opposite her, Beca wiped her cheeks again and rubbed her palms together “Sitting here, crying like an idiot in front of you”

 

She groaned and damned at herself, sitting back in her chair and snapping “Why am I feeling sorry for myself? It’s my fault”

 

“Beca it’s not-”

 

“Em she loved me for years and had to put up with me being with Jesse, who I was basically using to bury my feelings for _her_ . If I had just been honest with myself, with everyone. I hurt Jesse _and_ Chloe in the process of all that. If karma is actually a thing then I’m just getting what I deserve”

 

“You’ve always been too hard on yourself. You really think Chloe would want you to talk about yourself like that?”

 

Beca let out a watery laugh and looked away from her, gently shaking her head and then shrugged “Doesn’t make it any less true” she dropped her head in her hand “Man. I really don’t want to go on feeling this shit”

 

She looked back up “But I’ve got over a week to go with this and then...I mean what if they do stick it out? I can’t cut her off, I can’t live without the girl”

 

Not quite knowing what to say or how to answer, Emily let out a gentle shrug “Maybe it’ll just get easier...you’ll move on?”

 

Beca laughed again and hummed “Sweet. But I stuck with a guy for three years in trying to do that and got nowhere” she shook her head, looking down at her hands and then muttered “She’s _it_ , Em. And I’ve messed it up”

 

She saw Emily’s hand reach over and rest on hers, she looked up and met the young girl’s brown eyes. She knew that Emily didn’t know what to say but she was fine with it, she just needed to say it out loud. It didn’t matter if no good advice came back to her, just to say it was enough.

 

Beca took another breath and shook her head again to try and snap herself out of it “I’m not going to put a downer on your trip by sobbing here like a moron about my non existent love life”

 

Emily let out a small laugh, sitting back and slipped her hand off of hers “You’re not putting a downer, Beca. We can always talk to each other right?”

 

“Right” Beca nodded “Of course. But in the meantime” she rubbed her hands together and moved them over to the mixing desk “Let me show you what your lyrics could be going with”

 

Emily knew what Beca was doing and she just went with it. This is what Beca did best, she got lost in her music and allowed herself to drown out anything she was feeling. Chloe told the girls that when she and Jesse broke up for good, she listened to music a _lot_ and tried to mix it up for hours on end. She just didn’t know that the reason that was wasn’t because she was heartbroken over Jesse but because she was living with the love of her life and was having a major life crisis in what to do with all of that weight on her shoulders.

 

They didn’t stay there for too long afterwards. Beca took her on a more detailed tour on their way out, got in a cab and headed back to Amy’s who was still out. She’s _always_ out but if Beca was a millionaire she’s sure she’d be out too. Drowning her sorrows every night sounds _good_.

 

Emily was pretty beat with the travel and the whole filled day she’s had with hanging with Chloe, Beca, Chicago and Amy (briefly) along with the studio time. It was safe to say she was wiped.

 

“Sleep tight, Legacy” Beca said, giving her cheek a little pat before they parted ways and went into their room.

 

Beca got changed, thinking about Chloe. She got into bed, thinking about Chloe and the entire night, even in her dreams, she was thinking about Chloe. But why stop the habit of a lifetime.

* * *

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

The show started at 7:30, so they went and grabbed a bite to eat at 6 to give themselves plenty of time. They couldn’t believe how Beca and Chloe never ran into Benji before given one of their favourite places to eat was on the end of street to where his show was. Chloe, Beca and Amy always went to this  _ amazing _ cheesecake restaurant at the end of 45th street.

 

The burgers were amazing, they were what Beca really went for and she got the same thing every time and didn’t regret a minute of it. They all did it. Chloe always got fried chicken, boneless  _ of course _ . They were more delicate like her. And Amy always got BBQ baby back ribs which did always look amazing but Beca remained faithful.

 

When Emily asked them what else was good they didn’t know what to tell her because they have never had anything else. So she took a shot in the dark and went with her gut in choosing a shrimp plate. Chicago went for a big fat sirloin steak  _ of course _ , it was like most men wouldn’t feel like a man unless they had a fat steak in front of them he insisted it was just because he wouldn’t be having one in a while which Beca had to give him, she accepted that. She forgets he was an american hero at times and that makes it hard for her to criticise him. 

 

The food was always so good it makes Beca just want to sob and cuddle it. Leave her alone, she’s lonely. 

 

There was one slap in the face though with this time round at this place. Amy always has a cheesecake to herself, there was no stopping that.  _ Large _ . And Beca and Chloe would share one together, just an average one between the two of them. Always red velvet because that was Chloe’s favourite and Beca always let her choose, plus she liked it too. It was like heaven. They would always fight over it, clashing their forks together and giggle like morons. 

 

This time round? They didn’t do that. Beca had to sit back and watch Chloe share it with her boyfriend. It was pathetic that something as small as that made her ache. She didn’t mind sharing with Emily at all, but it certainly wasn’t the same. She kept her eyes off the two of them but she could vaguely see how they were acting. No they weren’t playing around or anything like that. If anything Chloe was more reserved, trying not to seem like an idiot even though her being an idiot was the most adorable thing about her. Instead she was being sensible?  _ Sensible? _

 

_ My god who is this MONSTER  _

 

She saw Chloe even feed it to him which made her really want to throw up but she moved past it. Something told her if Chloe did that to her she wouldn’t be complaining. 

 

Beca’s phone suddenly buzzed.

 

_ Amy [6:43PM]: Is this a live food sex show? _

 

Beca glared at her, glancing back to Chloe who was still being all mushy with her beau and shook her head as she began to reply.

 

_ Beca [6:43PM]: She’s happy let her be _

 

_ Amy [6:44PM]: Are you imagining her doing that to do you right now? _

 

Beca soon cleared her throat as she almost choked from reading the text and locked her phone, putting her phone face down on the table and looking over to Amy. Just shaking her head at her idiocy. She was right but that wasn’t the point. 

 

Beca glanced to them again and sighed through her nose.

 

_ That fucking cheesecake cannot end faster _

 

Luckily she didn’t have to wait long until everyone was done and they could get the cheque so they could pay and get their asses out there to get ready for the show. 

 

Beca was noticing little things, she couldn’t help it. She noticed how Chloe wasn’t linking her arm when walking down the sidewalk, she was linking his. Normally they’d be behind everyone just talking but instead she was now in front whilst Chloe hung back with her  _ boyfriend _ . Emily would try and give her reassuring looks but not being too obvious about it at the same time, but Beca would just try and push past it.

 

The line for getting in the theatre was insanely long, it was basically down the whole street. It’s a good job they all have assigned seating else they really would be screwed, but they looked at it all in awe. This is all because their nerdy friend Benji is  _ amazing  _ at what he does. Chloe was almost crying then and she hadn’t even watched it yet, they weren’t in the damn theatre yet.

 

Without even looking at her, Beca said “Chlo. You got that pack of tissues I got you?” 

 

She soon just then saw them be wiggled in her face and nodded “Good”

 

Chloe grinned as she put them back in her pocket, if there was one thing she was sure of about Beca it was that she always had her back with whatever. No matter what, she was there. Doing little things like running into a grocery store on the way to grab a pack of tissues cause she  _ knows  _ that Chloe will cry at this no matter what, from either the story or just seeing Benji do his thing alone. 

 

Once the doors opened, they got in pretty quickly and they had seriously good seats. Benji really pulled through. Chicago learnt again that there was no getting between the two of them as he sat next Chloe, with Beca on her other side of her and then Emily and Amy followed. They got their playbills and Chloe filled up just seeing Benji’s headshot and bio in that alone.

 

Her hand went on Beca’s arm to get her attention as she made an  _ ‘awh’  _ and proceeded to quote “Benjamin has always been musically passionate but finally found his voice when joining a cappella group  _ The Treble Makers  _ at Barden University. Benjamin would like to thank his friends from Barden and his family for all their amazing support”

 

“That’s cute” Beca mumbled to her as she leaned in against her, peering down at the page. The lights soon dimmed down which told them that it was time to stop reading and time to put their eyes centre forward to stage because the show was about to begin. 

 

The lights shone on the stage and they watched their friend walk on and make his way through his first scene. They all knew Benji could sing, there was never a question of that. But they had no idea just how good of an actor he was as well. They had never seen him act before but holy shit he could tear up the stage. No wonder the queue to get in here was so damn long, he was sensational. 

 

Beca found her breath being taken away more often than not. Chloe had teared up  _ and  _ cried at least four times before the first act alone had finished. If Beca was a more deeply emotional person, she’s sure she would be the same. The music was amazing, people were right about that. It was insanely powerful and the passion that not only Benji, but the whole cast brought to it made it even more special. She oddly felt like some kind of proud big sister or something, knowing how shy and insecure Benji was for all the years that she had known him and now look at him. When Jesse was in the city, he text Beca the day after they met up because he had seen the show that night and told her how awesome it was and how he teared up but Jesse was almost as bad as Chloe on the emotional front at times. He wasn’t wrong though, it was pretty awesome. It was one of those shows that would shake people to their very core.

 

Chloe cried about four more times when the second act was done, maybe even five. Honestly Beca just kept reminding her to use her tissues and that’s all she had with that part of comforting her since she was understandably leaning on her boyfriend when feeling all emotional. The entire theatre were up on their feet, a serious standing ovation. They were most likely hollering the loudest, Benji saw them in the crowd and gave them a wave before getting himself off stage. 

* * *

They were invited backstage, where they congratulated Benji and all gave their hugs to him whilst Chicago also got acquainted. They briefly met the cast and then before they knew it they were all ready to head out, they joined him leaving through the stage door since he made a habit of seeing his fans before going anywhere and they went mad for him. The plan for them was to get out the stage door and quickly move to the side and just wait but Beca was pulled up by someone.

 

“Hey, you’re Beca Mitchell right?” a young girl said, clearly filled with excitement with her now signed playbill in her hand. Beca gave her a kind and surprised smile by the recognition “Yeah, hi”

 

“Oh my god, I downloaded your cover on spotify like straight away and was there in the crowd when it was  _ DJ Khaled’s all star party  _ the other week!”

 

Beca sunk her hands into her pockets with a joyful look still on her face “That’s great, you had a good time?”

 

“Amazing! I know you weren’t in the show but could I get a picture with you?”

 

“Sure” 

 

The girl quickly took out her phone, Beca leaned in and looked up to smile for the picture which thankfully came out well, the girl turned back to her and gleamed “Thank you so much! I can’t wait to see what you bring out soon”

 

“Thanks, hope you enjoy it” Beca smiled again, as she passed down even more, she was caught a few more times by people who also recognised her. Beca had no idea that she was coming so well known. But she also didn’t see how big the video went  _ and  _ the press articles of her from the party with her hanging around with Ariana Grande, Chrissy Teigen and her husband John Legend. Keeping out of loop with her own fame was always going to make the attention a surprise.

 

Chloe watched from the side, she watched with deep consideration as Beca talked to her  _ fans _ , after all that’s what they were really. She looked at her face and how genuinely pleased she was to be talking to the passionate teens. It filled Chloe with pure warmth and pride. She had always been proud of Beca but seeing her now, as an actual public figure being recognised by people, it made her even more proud. 

 

Even though Beca appreciated all the comments, she knew that everyone in her group was dying for a drink. She walked over to Benji who wasn’t far behind her and linked his arm as they both made their way over to the group. Beca dropped her arm and let out a breath, Benji turned to her and laughed “You were getting more attention than me”

 

“With that dramatic attitude it’s no wonder you’re in this business” Beca huffed with amusement. Then seeing Chloe raise her brows and hum “Becoming quite the celebrity”

 

Beca rolled her eyes and tried to shove off all the eyes and smirks off of her “Okay enough let’s go get them drinks”

 

Chloe just smirked and raised a brow once more to her before facing forward and they all made their way to the bar that Benji had recommended. 

 

It was a bar just a few blocks away and was a nice cosy bar. It was pretty much like the one that Beca and Chloe go to every Friday. Except the Friday just gone that is because Chloe had been occupied. 

* * *

 

They found a standing table that had a few stools as soon as they came in and raced over to it. Benji said that as the night goes on, it’ll get more packed so finding a table right now was a jackpot. They got in their first round of drinks straight away, Emily stuck to the rules when out and had just a sprite, whether that will continue as they night goes on they can’t say for sure. 

 

Beca was glad for sure that the first time she was to go out with Chloe and Chicago was when she had three more friends with her to lighten the load. It actually took her mind off of it and she allowed herself to have an actual good time without dwelling on the two of them. Chloe was soon distracted by someone else entirely, she bumped into a few people from work and got dragged away by them for a moment or two. 

 

As she went there, Beca and Emily went to the toilet with Amy. The aussie told them to go ahead cause she had something to take care of in the toilet and honestly they were too scared to even question it so they just left as soon as they were done. They didn’t have a bathroom chat that women tend to have about their personal lives, there was none of that. No asking how Beca was tonight, because Emily could see that she was handling it fine and bringing it up would just pull down the mood so they left it. 

 

When Beca turned to ask Emily a question, she realised that the young brunette wasn’t beside her. But she was sure as hell that she walked out of the bathroom with her, looking around her eyes finally landed on her and saw her further back with some guy in front of her. 

 

He was tall, pretty well built but none of that mattered, she didn’t have to see his face because she could see Emily’s. And she was clearly uncomfortable by the conversation or this guys attempts in picking her up. She just wanted to come back over to the table, Emily’s eyes finally met hers. She frowned to her as some kind of silent plea for help, but Beca was already making her way over. 

 

She tried to make a more casual approach over, reaching from behind the guy and taking a step forward as she gently took hold of Emily’s arm and smiled sweetly “There you are, come on Benji just got us another round of drinks”

 

He hadn’t. But this guy didn’t know that, Emily gave her a grateful yet still uncomfortable by the situation as a whole. The six foot blonde guy then said with a smirk “Yeah she’ll be right with you” 

 

Beca then decided to get a look at this guy, she looked all the way up to him and raised her brows “And you are?”

 

“A friend of your friend”

 

“Weird. She never mentioned you, now I wonder why that is” Beca quipped as she stood beside Emily. He then just laughed and looked back to Emily, briefly touching her elbow and shrugging “Come on. How bout we get out of here?”

 

“I already said no thanks” Emily said kindly, still trying to smile through it. He was still pretty persistent and emily had never been in this position, usually when hit on it was by Frat Guys who she already knew well enough to laugh off and push away, but this dude? He was like 27 at least. 

 

“Come on-”

 

“Dude. She said no” Beca held her hand out and spoke more assertively now, her patience was wearing thin, there was nothing she hated more than guys who wouldn’t take no for an answer “I’m sure there are plenty more girls in here who’ll take up your offer but we’re going to go now” 

 

As Beca took hold from Emily and they went to step aside for them to walk past him and he stood in front of them, he held his hands up “Listen I know there are a lot of girls in here but I really wanted to get to know your friend here”

 

“She doesn’t want to get to know you okay, can you just back off?” 

 

He laughed at her “You wanna cool down. Who the hell are you anyway?”

 

“I’m her sister, now let us pass” Beca scowled, she then forced then passed him by barging him with her shoulder, then hearing him mutter “Waste of ass” under his breath. 

 

Beca came to a halt and Emily looked to her and shook her head “Becs leave it”

 

Beca grumbled an boiling hot laugh and took her hand out of Emily’s and turned around to the guy “Say that about her again” 

 

The thing with Beca wasn’t that she was a very confrontational person, because she wasn’t at all. In fact she wanted to avoid it at all costs. But when people come for her family and  _ then  _ decide to use some offensive and degrading remark to them all in one, that makes her blood boil to no return.  _ That  _ makes her confrontational. 

 

Chloe came back over from seeing a friend from work and saw Beca arguing with this guy, she softly hit Chicago on the arm with her eyes still fixed on the brunette “What’s going on there?”

 

Chicago looked up as well as Benji and the two guys then only just realised what was going on, his brows furrowed as he shrugged and moved away from the table “I don’t know” 

 

Chloe looked to Benji and gently smiled “Benji stay here? Don’t want us missing the table”

 

He agreed straight away. He hated conflict in anyway shape or form, which she knew and was why she asked him to stay there.  Chloe walked ahead of Chicago and approached the situation head on, she put her hand on Emily’s back “What’s going on?”

 

Emily leaned to her and mumbled what it was all about, Chicago got between them and pushed the guy back in a polite manner as he stood in front of Beca “Come on, man. You don’t need to get all up in her face like that” 

 

“Then tell your bitch to get out of my business” 

 

Chloe took a step forward beside Beca and snapped “Don’t talk about her like that” 

 

Beca looked to her and her heart began to race, Chloe trying to come to her rescue wasn’t something she knew would make her melt until now. 

 

Beca looked back to the guy and snapped “It was my business as soon as you wouldn’t leave her alone, she said no more than once and you tried to force her to stay. That’s why I’m pissed” 

 

Chicago nodded to Beca’s words and said him “Alright, man. You heard her. You overstepped, now it’s time for you to step away”

 

_ Usually I’d make a snide comment about Chicago but right now...he’s actually being useful _

 

The guy just glanced to the girls and huffed as he rolled his eyes, muttering something else under his breath and then walking away, to which Beca scoffed at and nodded as she motioned her hand to him “Course. When a guy says it to him it’s chill, but when I tried to stick up for Em then I’m a bitch” 

 

“Beca” Chloe whisper was so light and delicate it was almost like a melody within itself, her fingertips ran down Beca’s arm ever so gently as she reached down and took hold of her hand, her other hand resting on her forearm.  _ Everyone  _ noticed it, Chicago especially as he turned and looked at the way they were together. 

 

Beca bit her lip, her eyes sticking to the floor to the moment and then looked to her hand being held by Chloe’s. Slowly traveling up and meeting Chloe’s eyes. Taking steady breaths through her nose as she got lost in the redhead’s eyes once again, hardly even noticing that it was mutual. Looking to her lips as Chloe briefly did the same to her without notice.  The realisation of the staring kicked in after a few seconds, Beca cleared her throat and rubbed her nose as she slid her hand out of Chloe’s and turned to Emily “You okay, kid?”

 

“Yeah” Emily gave her a tight smile, then frowning “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you into that”

 

“Em you didn’t” Beca reassured, putting her hand onto her arm and walking her over to the table, trying to ignore that moment that she had with Chloe just then as Chloe tried to do with Chicago, holding onto his hand now and staying close with him. Beca raised her brows to Emily and added on “I was coming over there whether you looked at me or not”

 

“You called me your sister back there y’know” Emily smirked, giving Beca a little nudge, but she just shrugged and replied with “I wasn’t lying. All the Bellas are your sisters okay? Like I’ve said before, that’s for life dude”

 

Emily’s smile turned into a grin, pulling her close for a moment and thanking her again, as she did embrace her she mumbled “I saw that by the way. With Chloe”

 

“Yeah yeah. Talk about it later” Beca whispered back, they made their way over to the table. Benji smiled kindly to them all and then when he was told what it was all about, he looked to Emily and now felt guilty in not going over “If I had any idea-”

 

“I know” Emily said sweetly.

 

Benji put his hand over hers on the table “But you’re okay?”

 

“Yeah. I’m okay” she put her free hand over his and gave it a gently rub, as a silent sign of gratitude for his worry. 

 

Chloe came beside Beca as Chicago went to get more drinks “Haven’t seen you like that in a while”

 

Beca smirked and rolled her eyes “Not had a reason to in a while”

 

“Protective Beca is one of my favourites by the way. After Drunk Beca”

 

“And god knows she’s a rarity” Beca mumbled as she finished off the very last bit of her beer, she pressed her lips together and then couldn’t help but get the nerve at ask “Out of curiosity who’s your favourite Beca?”

 

“Easy” Chloe smiled, looking at her dead in the eyes and shrugged “Just you. Just simply Beca Mitchell, absolutely”

 

_ Oh fuuckkk. I am so in love with you _

 

Beca just rolled her eyes again and gave Chloe a nudge at her sappiness being the only solution for Chloe’s word. Just as Chloe said, simply Beca Mitchell was always to be her favourite. The rolling eyes, scarcastic comments and the way that despite all of that she still blushes when getting compliments. Chicago came back over with the round of drinks and they went to enjoy the rest of their night as if the little conflict never happened. 

* * *

 

“So what was all that about with Beca?” Chicago questioned with a light laugh in the back of his face as he and Chloe walked into the apartment “You know when she and that guy squared up. Didn’t think she was like that”

 

“She’s not” Chloe gently defended as she took off her jacket. The argument with the guy in the bar felt like forever ago now, they enjoyed three more hours out in the city after that incident. Chloe then shook her head and explained “The only way to ever really rile her up like that is if someone comes for one of us”

 

“I feel like there’s a story behind all of this” he muttered with slight concern. 

 

Chloe rolled her eyes as she bobbed her head and went over to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water “Pretty much a similar situation to tonight, we were at a party in college. This was like two years after we met, and this drunk frat boy came over to me one night and  _ really  _ tried it on. He was grabbing me, wouldn’t let me go and Beca saw and came over. She’s tiny but freakishly strong and managed to get him away, then I had to pull  _ her _ away cause she got so vamped up about it”

 

Chicago just nodded and shrugged “Guess I should stay on the right side of her”

 

Chloe smirked and walked over to him, taking a seat on his lap and saying as she twisted the cap of the bottle off “I guess so”

 

“It’s nice though I suppose. Knowing you’ve always got someone who will have your back, hell it’s nice for me to know”

 

Chloe’s smile turned into the grin at the thought and nodded once again “Yeah it is” she then got lost in thought for a moment, her mind flashing back to how she held Beca close at that party all those hers ago, holding her waist as Beca’s back pressed against her front. So close that she could feel how tense she was, how in that moment she wanted to kiss her as a way of saying thank you and also saying how lucky she felt to have her. Then she thought about tonight, how close she was once again tonight with her. How Beca was holding onto Chloe’s hand just as tight as Chloe was holding to her, again feeling how tense she felt by the way Chloe had her hand on her arm alone but still didn’t move a muscle and kept close to her. 

 

The thing was, she still had that feeling in wanting to kiss her. Because of how caring and protective she was over the young woman she considered to be a sister, again how lucky she felt to have her with her. But this time in wanting the need to kiss her she felt a whole amount of guilt. She shouldn’t still be thinking about or desiring to kiss her whilst she had Chicago, she was trying to move on and a part of her felt like she was succeeding at times. 

 

She came out of her thoughts for a moment as she felt Chicago press his lips against her shoulder and then whisper “Should we go to bed?” 

 

Chloe smiled to him as she turned her head and nodded, giving him a quick gentle kiss before standing up and they headed to bed. 

 

There were other times however, where she looked at Beca and knew that she was very much failing in the moving on department.


	9. Chapter 9

They all wished that Emily didn’t have to leave today but she and the _New Bellas_ had plans for spring break. She got a flight later on in the day so that there was more time for her and Beca to work on the music. They worked through things pretty smoothly, they have worked together on things like this before after all and Beca told her that once she makes a demo with her singing as just the _example vocals_ she’ll send Emily a copy. 

 

Beca was just glad that what happened last night didn’t ruin anything, they still went on and had a lot of fun. This time around, Beca didn’t get too drunk when being in the presence of Chloe and Chicago being all mushy and couple- _ y _ . So that was a bonus. 

 

Before having to leave, Emily, Beca and Amy headed to the apartment to grab Chloe. They were all going to grab a cup of coffee together and have some down time. Chicago was excusing himself to the gym that Chloe uses, he just wanted them all to get the time they needed together without interfering. 

 

They got there a little earlier than intended, Beca used her keys to unlock the door and called as she did to let her know they were there. She regretted it straight away, opening the door, she didn’t notice at first. But then when she heard Chloe move out of bed from behind the clothing rack, she caught a glimpse of her using the bed sheet to shield her naked body. Not that she cared if Beca saw cause there was nothing Chloe could show her that she hasn’t seen before but more because Emily and Amy were there. 

 

Then she saw the bra that was on the chair of kitchen table and if the bed sheet around her body alone didn’t let her connect the dots then that bra sure did. 

 

_ I hate everything about my life in this moment.  _

 

Emily and Amy just looked at her as she leaned back against the door frame, just looking to the floor after clearing her throat. Of course she knew in the back of her mind that the two of them would be sleeping together, she wasn’t that naive or that stupid. But seeing evidence in front of her really made her know it. 

 

“Chlo, how long you gonna be?” was all she managed to call. 

 

“Just, like ten minutes!” Chloe then called from the bathroom. Beca just nodded and looked back out to the hallway, then just waving her hand at Emily who she knew was looking at her as a silent way of asking her if she was alright. Which she was. And Beca’s wave was to just dismiss it as a silent way as replying that she was  _ fine _ . When of course she wasn’t. Still she’d rather not saying anything about the matter and prays to God that has been both cruel and kind to her these past few weeks that Chloe doesn’t bring it up. 

 

Chloe got dressed and out as soon as she could “Okay I’m good” 

 

Beca turned her head and looked at her. 

 

_ hOW THE FUCK DOES SHE DO IT? How does she look so stunning when being in such a rush _

 

She just gave her a tight smile and nodded. The four of them left the apartment, leaving Chicago to grab a bite to eat by himself before heading to the gym. 

 

This time when walking down the street, Chloe did link Beca. And it gave her butterflies which wasn’t something she was expecting but was certainly a nice feeling all the same. Suddenly feeling like old times as they walked to the coffee shop together. 

 

Quickly, they found a table, got their drinks and food and enjoyed breakfast. Chloe looked to Emily and pouted “It sucks that you have to leave! You literally just got here”

 

“I know I’d stay for longer but the girls booked the trip to Cancun for Tuesday morning so I gotta get back to pack”

 

Amy raised a brow “Cancun, I have some mem-”

 

Beca held her finger up “Please. No memory lane with you right now. I’m eating for the love of god”

 

Amy just rolled her eyes and shrugged before continuing to eat her croissant. Chloe then gently nudged Beca “We were planning on a trip away weren’t we, Bec?”

 

“Yeah we  _ were _ ” Beca nodded, keeping her eyes on the coffee. 

 

The hearing Chloe ask back “What do you mean?” the brunette looked at her, seeing the cute way Chloe tilted her head and had a brow raised at her, Beca then shrugged “Well yeah I don’t know. If it’s still going ahead y’know. Both got work now and...relationships”

 

“Bec” Chloe gripped onto her arm and scooted closer ever so slightly, then giving her a shake to try and get her back into the excited mood that she was in when they first started talking about it “No work or relationship will ever be more important to me than you! Of course we’re still gonna go!” 

 

“Where was my invite?” Amy wailed, smacking Beca on the arm who quickly turned to her. Feeling Chloe’s hand slide off of her arm and wanted to beg her to put it back there again. She shrugged “It was around the time you said you were going to go back to Australia to visit your mom in the summer”

 

Amy looked between the two of them with her eyes squinted and then slowly nodded “Alright. I’ll accept” 

 

“Hooray” Beca dryly sighed before taking a sip of her coffee, then seeing Chloe grin at her again and whisper “I mean it”

 

“Okay” she whispered back, knowing that Chloe did mean it and did intend for them to have a trip. She just no longer knew that things won’t shift in the future where Chloe and her priorities will finally be shifted from wanting to be with Beca 24/7, and there was nothing that Beca could do to stop that. 

 

Chloe turned her head back to Emily “But you’ve enjoyed yourself?”

 

“Yeah of course. I’ll always enjoy myself when I’m with you guys, I just can’t thank you enough, Beca for organising it” 

 

Beca shook her head, raising her cup for a moment “You scratched my back so I scratched yours” 

 

“So exciting that you’ve worked together again!” Chloe gleamed.

 

Amy bobbed her head “Yeah. Still slightly insulted that you haven’t asked me Beca since I’m the most talented one”

 

Beca went along with it for a moment and turned to her “So Amy you know how to write music and make beats?”

 

“Well... _ no _ . But I could sing-could sell it to me for my Fat Amy extravaganza”

 

Beca just rolled her eyes and looked away from her. 

 

_ You do you, Amy. You do you...but no fucking chance.  _

 

Chloe then asked the twenty year old “What time is your flight again?” 

 

“Six thirty, Beca is dropping me off at like four thirty so I have enough time to get through things, you know how long things can take”

 

“Yeah I’m taking Theo’s car” Beca stated, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms “I’d rather actually drive every once in a while rather than being drove”

 

“ _ Miss independent _ ” Chloe quietly sang under her breath with a mischievous smirk on her face, which Beca did roll her eyes at but also had a smile on her face, Chloe then continued to go over with what she intended to say “Well I’ll come with”

 

Beca looked to her “Really? What about Chicago?” 

 

_ The taste of his name leaving my tongue is enough to make me feel sick  _

 

Chloe shrugged “Well we’re going out tonight for dinner but today he’s going gym and then his cousin  lives in Brooklyn so he’s going to meet him and spend the day with him”

 

“You’re not going?” Amy then asked “Meet the family-does he look like Chicago? Is he single? Even if not that’s not a deal breaker”

 

“He’s more into guys...anyway I’m not going cause I feel like it’s a little early to meet his family, I mean I wouldn’t just be meeting his cousin I’d be meeting his aunt and uncle and...I don’t know I guess I think it’s a little too soon  _ and  _ when I meet his family it should be his parents first” 

 

They all saw that logic, a part of Beca prayed it wouldn’t get that far. Then another part of her called that part an asshole cause all that mattered is that Chloe was happy.  _ Asshole _ . The one thing she hated is that she knew that Emily and Amy kind of wanted the gossip with her and Chicago but were too scared to say anything cause they know Beca feels like tearing her eyes out every time it’s even brought up. 

 

Beca just shrugged to Emily, a silent way of saying that she can ask whatever she wants. Emily still went round a more cautious route as she asked “So it’s going good?”

 

The reason that Emily wanted to ask was because she knew that Chloe kind of expected it. The girls always talk about relationships if anyone was in one or started one up, if they ignored it then something would seem weird. 

 

Beca saw Chloe grin in the corner of her eye and her chest went insanely tight, like it was slowly crushing her. Stacie told her a few days after Beca admitted everything to the girls that Chloe’s face lit up at the mention of Beca’s name or when she saw her walk through the door. And now, seeing how her expression was right now. She wondered if it was like that and if it was maybe, that means she really has moved on. 

 

“It’s going great-amazing. He’s  _ such _ a great guy and just so nice to be around” 

 

_ God if he’s so perfect why don’t you just mar-actually no, scratch that. Nothing would make me die more _

 

They all just nodded, awkwardly. Emily then cleared her throat “That’s great, Chlo. I mean when we on tour i thought how nice he seemed and spending more time with him he does seem like a good guy-which is pretty rare these days”

 

_ Hm. Would it be terrible of me to come up with a master plan to rub Chicago onto Emily? Yes. Beca. Yes it would. _

 

“I was scared in giving it a shot but he’s been worth it.  _ Really  _ worth it”

 

“Is that in reference to sex?” Amy quickly asked, causing Beca to choke on her cinnamon bun. Sometimes Amy forgot the situation that Beca was currently in, it was one of her many traits of her personally, forgetfulness. And obsession over sex.

 

Chloe’s cheeks went red, tucking her hair behind her ear and simply shrugging. That meant yes, of course it meant yes.

 

_ Wow, breakfast together was like the WORST idea _

 

Beca didn’t exactly want to think about Chloe having sex, well, she’s thought about it before but it was less Chicago or men in general and much more her. Beca arched her back against the chair and then sat up straight as she swiftly changed the subject which benefited both herself and Chloe “So next time we’ll all be together is when it’s baby Bella’s Christening”

 

They rest of them mumbled at the realisation. The reunion was going to be closer than they thought, Stacie was having a  Christening for baby Bella at the beginning of next month, which was only just three weeks away. She was always going to have her Christened cause it was just nice and an excuse to throw her party, but with her family taking all that stuff pretty serious they wanted it doing pretty quickly. 

 

“That should be fun” Emily smiled.

 

“Yeah everyone knows Christians love to party” Amy nodded, not joking. 

 

“Any excuse for us to get back together” Chloe gleamed, the sheer thought of them all getting back together was enough to make her so happy that she could cry. Beca just looked to her and smiled, putting her hand on the redhead’s as she just nodded to her in complete agreement. She was in desperate need for her nerds more than ever, more Chloe could ever know. 

* * *

 

“So it’s cool for me to borrow your car right?” Beca asked as she headed towards the front with Chloe beside her, having Theo’s car keys already in her hand as he followed.

 

“Yes. You’ve already got the keys anyway so if I said no I’d be screwed”

 

“I’m not an asshole I’d give them back to you” Beca said, turning to face him and walking backwards a few steps, raising her brows as she held up the keys “Want them?”

 

“Nah. I’m not an arsehole either, seriously it’s fine. Just don’t scratch it” he pointed to her with a smirk. Beca rolled her eyes, taking hold of the keys firmly again and turned back around to walking straight ahead. Chloe just smirking and laughing quietly as she continued to walk beside her. 

 

“Haven’t drove in about a year but okay”

 

“Beca-” 

 

“Relax” Beca deadpanned, walking out the building all together and raised her brows to him “Have some faith. I’ll have it back in like three hours tops”

 

He just gave her a small salute with two fingers and then headed back inside the building. She left him with some work to do on the song that she had got up and running with the help of Emily’s lyrics. He was good at what he did, his  _ Mercedes Benz  _ spoke for that on it’s own. It actually makes her want a car and she has never really been interested in driving that much. Still, why get her own when she can just steal his whenever she feels like it. 

 

“This is  _ nice _ ” Chloe mumbled as she too admired the car. Beca then began to just watch her, she bit her lip and simply nodded “Yeah. Well we better get going, Em is waiting at Amy’s”

 

They both got in the car and made their way to the apartment building where Emily was waiting with her bags packed, the both of them were already worried in leaving Emily alone with Amy, the two of them don’t exactly have a strong bond. Luckily the studio wasn’t far away and they were there in no time. Beca parked outside the building and dropped Emily a text. Within two minutes, if that, Emily was out the building with her bags.

 

“Legacy doesn’t mess around” Beca laughed as they watched her make her way over.

 

“Yeah well, when she’s stuck with Amy I don’t think she has a choice”

 

Emily opened door and tossed her duffel bag in the back before sliding in, saying breathlessly “You couldn’t have got here sooner?”

 

Beca looked at her through the rear view mirror and asked as she started the car back up “She wasn’t being an ass again was she? Half the time i feel like you just catch her on a bad day”

 

“No it was fine. Just well we don’t have much to talk about” Emily said with a stiff laugh in the back of her voice. Beca and Chloe couldn’t argue there. 

 

Whenever the three of them were in a car together, Beca learnt fast that there was something that they couldn’t help. Sing. Their own version of carpool karaoke, in fact Chloe is adamant that they came up with it first. She even had a playlist for it, Chloe has a playlist for  _ everything _ . She hooked it up to the bluetooth and had the volume up at a higher rate than usual and they just sang their hearts out. Loving every damn second of it, so much that Beca would take them round the route again so they could make it last longer but Emily unfortunately did have a flight to catch.

 

Still they got a good whole forty minutes before arriving at JFK Airport. By the time they got there, Emily had plenty of time to get through security and grab things for the plane before having to board. It was always better to get there extra early than run out of time and miss her flight. Though it wouldn’t be the worst thing if she did cause that meant she could stay. 

 

They got out the car at the drop off and said their goodbyes. This time they weren’t tearful cause they knew they were going to see each other in a few weeks. They could handle a few weeks. Chloe held onto her tight, rubbing her back before kissing her cheek “Make sure you take food on the plane, remember they rip you off on there”

 

“Yeah and you’re gonna let us know when you get home right?” Beca added on as she put her arm around her for her own hug. Emily laughed as she held onto her and teased as she pulled back looking back and forth to them “Yes mom, yes dad”  

 

The pair of them just rolled their eyes. Emily put her bag on her shoulder and then looked at the two of them more fondly “I love you guys”

 

“Jesus, Legacy don’t do that she’ll start crying” Beca bet without even having to look at Chloe and knowing that it was completely true as the redhead pressed her lips together and tried to hold her emotions in, she took a breath and smiled to her “We love you too, Em”

 

“Yeah kid we do” Beca rubbed her arm “I’m gonna send you that demo as soon as it gets done and I’ll keep you updated. Believe me, Em if this thing gets launched then it’ll do amazing things for you”

 

Emily grinned to her, it hadn’t quite sunk in for her yet that she may have helped create a new upcoming record. She just nodded and took in a breath as she gripped onto her bag, with her passport in her hand, she took a step onto the curb and gave them a small wave as she backed off “I’ll see you guys soon”

 

“Bye, sweetie” Chloe smiled.

 

“Cya later, Em” 

 

They watched her walk into the airport until they couldn’t see her anymore. With Emily they did feel like parents sometimes, but they quite liked that they felt like they had someone to look after and protect. They both just looked to each other, Beca bumped her hip with hers before standing up from leaning against the car and got in, with Chloe quickly following. 

 

The music went back on, and they sang a little bit more. But Chloe didn’t want to do another session of singing, she wanted to talk to her. When getting closer into the city, Chloe changed the subject onto something more deep. 

 

“I feel like we haven’t talked a lot this week”

 

Beca glanced to her before looking back on the road “Well yeah, I mean that’s expected Chlo. Your boyfriend is here and you won’t get to see him often. You think I blame you for wanting to spend time with him?”

 

“No...I just mean I miss you”

 

“I’m not going anywhere” Beca shook her head “A week today I’ll be back home at the apartment and we can talk about all the bullshit we’re used to talking to” 

 

“That bullshit means everything to me” Chloe said softly, looking over to her. Beca then looking to her once again for a quick moment “No I know-it does to me too. I just mean I’ve not moved out for good” 

 

“God I think I’d die” the redhead declared. Earning a laugh from Beca. 

 

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Beale” 

 

It fell silent between the two of them for a few long seconds, Chloe opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself. Beca saw it in the corner of her eye “What?”

 

Chloe rubbed her lips together and looked to her, turning more towards Beca in her seat “Becs can I tell you something?”

 

“You can tell me anything”

 

With hesitation at first, Chloe then just came out with it “I’m kind of scared”

 

“Scared? Bout what?”

 

“Everything. Everything is changing. I mean, you’re  _ finally  _ becoming this music sensation, and I’ve gotten into vet school”

 

“All good things”

 

“Yeah all good things but...I mean already things with Chicago feel like it’s going somewhere...and you’re going to meet someone eventually. I’m scared by how distracted I’ve been this week alone”

 

Beca tried to piece together what she meant, and she understood what she was trying to say. They were both going on their paths in jobs and as painful as it was, Chloe was going down a path in a relationship. Beca doubted she would be able to move on, she can’t imagine moving on at all but in Chloe’s head she was going to meet someone soon enough. Everything was changing, Chloe was worried that the changes in their life was going to change their relationship.

 

“Chloe, I get what you mean and yeah it’s scary as hell. But we’re always going to need each other, there’s never going to be a day where I won’t need you” 

 

“Promise?” 

 

Beca stared at her for a long few seconds “Chloe you do realise I wouldn’t be where I am today without you? If it wasn’t for you I wouldn't have joined the Bellas and I  _ literally  _ wouldn’t be where I am today”

 

“I think you would have been”

 

“Well I don’t, I’m woman enough to admit that without you and without the girls that I would just be living a simple and kind of disappointing life, I owe everything to you” 

 

Chloe’s eyes filled, blubbering a small laugh as she looked straight ahead. Beca took a breath “You really see things going somewhere with Chicago?”

 

Chloe looked back to her “Well...yeah?”

 

“So you’re like falling for him?”

 

Chloe thought for a moment. The fact of the matter was no, right now she wouldn’t say she was falling in love with him. She would say that she cares about him a lot, she is attracted to him and does really like him. But love? No. No one can fall completely out of love with someone so quickly to then fall for someone else in an instant. 

 

“I want to. I hope to” she mumbled, looking down at her hands. Beca bit her lip and tried to keep her emotions in check. Chloe looked to her and raised a brow “Why’d you ask?”

 

Beca took in a breath as she looked at her.

 

_ Why do I ask? I ask because every god damn second of this is killing me slowly inside. I ask because everytime I look at you I just want to kiss you and hold you and I want that for the rest of my life and the fact that you might be falling for someone else makes me want to ram my head through a damn wall cause I know I have no one to blame but myself but God, Chloe I ask because everytime I look at her I have to remind myself to breathe because I can never get over just how much I actually love you. That’s why. _

 

“Because like you said we haven’t had the chance to really talk this week and I just wanted to know where your head was at that’s all” 

 

Chloe just took what she said as her honest word and rested her head down on the seat as she looked forward again “Spending all this time with him, getting to know him more is going to add to it all, and like i said I know it’s going to be hard but…”

 

“You feel enough for him to go through it?”

 

Chloe thought for a moment and nodded. Beca then just nodded, she swallowed her pain as she turned the corner and they grew closer to the apartment. It fell silent between for a few moments longer, not out of awkwardness but just both taking the time to consider what had been said, neither of them even noticed that they were silent. 

 

Beca pulled up outside the apartment and as Chloe went to unbuckle her belt, Beca put her hand over hers for a moment “Chloe I…”

 

She looked to her, staring into her eyes. She swallowed thickly and cleared her throat as she glanced from eyes to her mouth and back to her eyes again before she looked away from her altogether “I just want you to know that...all I ever want for you is to be happy. That’s all I want, screw my job, screw everything. Knowing that you’re happy is enough to make me happy” 

 

“Beca…”

 

“I’m serious” Beca looked back to her.

 

Chloe gave her a tearful smile, she felt foolish for the split second that she thought Beca was going to admit something to her, like she had feelings for her all along or even tried to kiss her. She’s made that mistake a few times after Beca looked at her like  _ that _ . Chloe unbuckled her belt and put her hand back over Beca’s, gently stroking her knuckle with her thumb “And you’re amazing.  _ So  _ amazing that it still shocks me just how much...you’re the best you know that?”

 

“I’m not” Beca laughed, shaking her head as she looked down to their hands “Nah, Chloe I’m nothing but a screw up”

 

“Like hell you are-hey” Chloe gripped onto the brunette’s chin and lifted her head up to meet her eyes once again “You’re living your dream”

 

_ You’re my dream god damn it  _

 

“You’re doing everything you’ve always wanted to do. Everything I’ve always wanted to see you do and I’m  _ so  _ proud of you, Becs. I feel like I don’t say that enough. And  _ your _ happiness means everything to me, I love you”

 

There was a difference in that  _ I love you  _ and a real one. Beca could tell the difference, Chloe has said that to her before in the same tone and it would be the same way she would say it to Aubrey or Stacie. It was a friend/family kind of I love you. Not an  _ I’m in love with you  _ one. Still it was enough to make her heart pound at the words anyway.

 

Beca just smiled to her, rested her hand on Chloe’s wrist and stroked her kindly before gently pushing her arm down for her to release her chin. Chloe nodded to over her shoulder “You gonna come and chill for a bit? We can watch another _ This Is Us  _ episode before Chicago comes home?”

 

“Tempting but I told Theo I’d have his car back by tonight, plus I’ve got to go and talk about this song”

 

“Okay” Chloe murmured, then just giving Beca a smile and leaning forward to give the brunette a quick kiss on the cheek “Thanks, Bec”

 

“For what?”

 

Chloe shrugged “For the talk? I don't know it just feels good to talk to you, like I said it feels like it’s been a while”

 

Beca just gave her a tight smile “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

 

“Okay” she whispered, opening the car door and hearing Beca call as she got out “Have fun tonight”

 

Chloe bent down and gave her another grin before shutting the door and walking into the building. Beca let out one of the biggest breaths she’s had to in a while as she looked forward, taking a moment and then driving down a few blocks before coming to a stop again. 

 

She took the keys out of the ignition and just sat back, resting her head in her hand as she leaned against the window. Taking a breath with her eyes closed, it didn’t stop the tears though. Her mind running back to everything that they just talked about. 

 

Chloe  _ wanted  _ to fall for Chicago, she wanted to move on from her and maybe she has. Maybe she already has stopped feeling for Beca and her feelings for Chicago are just merely building up. Chloe might be scared but she had no idea just how scared Beca was. Cause she had already lost a part of Chloe.

 

She heard the whimper escape her lips, it was weak and frail to match the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hands fell down onto the wheel and pressing her forehead down against it, her breathing growing heavier as her tears built up more than more, practically shaking as she let out the tears and all the sobs just pour out. Trying to get it out of her system, she may have teared up a few times in front of people but she had never let her emotion out like this before. It was almost like she could actually feel her heart breaking in two. 

 

She hated herself. Actually  _ hated  _ herself for all of this. She didn’t want Chloe to say  _ I love you  _ in the way she did, she didn’t want Chloe to think that Beca’s dream was making music and she certainly didn’t want Chloe to think that Beca was going to eventually meet someone.

 

She wanted Chloe to say  _ I love you  _ in the way that really, truly meant something. The way that she knew she would say it only a few months ago if Beca had stepped up and told her that their feelings for each other were real. She wanted Chloe to see that Beca’s real dream was just her, all of her and everything that she is. And she wanted Chloe to know that Beca was never going to want someone as much as she wanted her. 

 

But again, Beca couldn’t blame Chloe for any of that or be mad, cause this was her fault. And the hot tears that ran down her cheek didn’t make any difference to that fact. Beca leaned and pressed her head back against the seat, her hands still gripping hard onto the wheel that her knuckles had gone white. She looked up to the ceiling and took a breath, just shaking her head. 

 

Staying in the car and putting up with the self pitied cries for a few moments longer, Beca wiped her cheeks and put the keys back in the ignition, taking one more deep breath before whispering the same thing she had been saying to herself everyday for the past two weeks.

 

“Shake it off, Mitchell”

* * *

 

**...I don't know about you but I don't know how much more Beca can take (A+ foreshadowing)**


	10. Chapter 10

 

Chloe should have known that something was wrong with Beca that Sunday. She should have picked up on something, but Beca was always good at acting that everything was alright when it was entirely the opposite. But when Chloe heard from Beca less and less as the next few days went on she knew something was up.

 

Whenever she would call, Beca would say that she was too busy and that she would call her back later but she never did. Then she stopped picking up more frequently. Sunday was the last time she actually saw her and then in the groupchat she was more aloof than usual.

 

Considering that on Sunday their conversation was mostly around how much they meant to each other and that they just want to be the way they always have been together, Beca really had took some kind of U turn. There was more distance between them now than ever before which was _exactly_ what Chloe said she was afraid of, the only thing she didn’t understand was _why_. Why now after everything they said?

 

“Becs it’s me. Again. Look it’s been nearly a week since I’ve heard from you, I don’t know whether I should start getting worried that you’ve ditched me for a younger model” Chloe gently teased into Beca’s voicemail to try and keep the mood light, then just frowning “Just call, or come round. Something. Please”

 

She took the phone away from her ear and hung up, that must’ve been the tenth voicemail this week that she has left. There would be more if she didn’t restrict herself with it.  She pressed her phone against her chin and just took a deep breath, Chicago pushed the clothes that was blocking his view to the side, already knowing why she would be up “Still nothing?”

 

Chloe just shook her head and put her phone down on the table “I don’t know what’s going on with her”

 

Chicago got out of bed and made his way to her, he folded his arms over his bare chest and shrugged “You don’t think it’s because of me do you?”

 

Chloe looked to him. Not really knowing what to say, Beca told Chloe that she liked Chicago and from what she has seen they do get on just fine. But it was weird that she’s suddenly gone off the radar pretty much as soon as he arrived, still that doesn’t explain how she was fine last week. She shook her head, her brows pinching together “No...no it was after we talked on Sunday. She’s just suddenly been MIA”

 

He smirked and muttered as he passed her to the kitchen, kissing her shoulder as he did so “You’ve been hanging with me too much”

 

“I’m being serious” she lightly sighed.

 

“Baby it could be anything, maybe she is super busy-what if that song got picked up?”

 

“Then she would have told me. And she’s been keeping Emily updated so if anything was said we’d all found out from her too”

 

He turned to her, now he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what he could say to make her feel better, he knows Chloe pretty well by now but he didn’t know Beca. He couldn’t tell her what she probably was thinking or feeling, he could only go off what he knew which was that she fitting into a new job and was working hard. That was _all_ that he could go off.

 

Chloe felt her eyes prickle as it filled, she pinched the bridge of her nose and cried “I just want my best friend...” her hand moved and she pressed her palm against her forehead “To just _talk_ to me, is that too much? I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong”

 

Chicago put the butter knife back down on the side and quickly made his way over to her, taking her in his arms and wrapping them around her waist as he pulled her close. Chloe just sighed, her hands falling and gripping onto his back as she buried her face into his neck and let out another shaken breath. She felt him rub her back for comfort and press his lips against the side of her head. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on this being the only thing that mattered but the fact of the matter was, Beca not talking to her was always going to be the thing that mattered more.

 

He put his hand on her arms as he pulled back and looked at her in the eyes “Look. I know it’s going to be hard but try to put it to the back of her mind for now, we’re gonna go out and have a great day in Central Park okay? When we get back, try and call her again before we go out”

 

Chloe just took a breath and settled herself and her thoughts of not knowing what was going on and just nodded. He was right, she can’t let this take over her. Chicago leaves on Sunday to go back over where he’s stationed she had to make it last. She gave him a tight smile “You’re right”

 

“I know that you guys will work it out, try not to let it get to you too much” he gave her his winning boyish grin before pressing his lips against hers for a tender moment, she squeezed his hands before taking a step back “I’m gonna jump in the shower real quick”

 

As she turned, she felt his arms wrap around her again "Want company?"

 

Chloe let out a small smile and rested her hands over his, he was sweet and was doing his best to cheer her up. But right now  _that_ was the last thing she wanted to do, she turned round to him and gave him a sweet look "Usually I wouldn't turn that down but...I just need to get some space to clear my head you know?"

 

"Yeah of course" he whispered, giving her arms a soft rub. Of course he understood, but as she knew, he was just trying to do whatever he could to make her smile. Which he did kind of achieve.

 

Chloe put her hand on his cheek for a moment and gave him a quick kiss, a kiss so quick it barely even counted as one. But right now she couldn't even think of kissing him properly all she could think about was why Beca was being the way that she was. She doubted ten minutes in a shower would help her figure that out.

* * *

 

Beca walked out of her bedroom only a few seconds after Amy and walked out to see the blonde stood in the centre of the large apartment, she turned her head “Jesus Beca how much did you put away last night?”

 

Beca looked over to where Amy was pointing and saw the mess that she had left from last night. An empty _Jack Daniels_ that had quite a lot left in it last time Amy saw it, Beca must have had ten glasses last night as well as three bottles of beer that was left around.

 

“In my defense” Beca held her hand up and then pointed to the bottles “Those beer bottles were from the night before I just forgot to clean them up before you noticed”

 

She crossed over and made her way into the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine as she passed it and grabbed a cup. Amy slowly turned to her “Okay so should I be worried you’re turning into my Aunt Janice?”

 

“Who’s your Aunt Janice?” Beca asked with pure exhaustion already with this conversation.

 

“An alcoholic”

 

Beca laughed breathlessly and shook her head “Jesus Amy I hardly ever drink hard. Does it matter that I have the past few days?”

 

“It does when you’re only doing this because you aren’t speaking to Chloe...even though you’re meant to be moving back on Sunday”

 

Beca took a breath with her back still to Amy and ignored her as she poured the now ready coffee into her cup and just remained silent, stirring her two sugars in. She then heard Amy add on “You’re going back aren’t you? You’re not considering that offer Khaled told you about?”

 

Earlier on in the week, Beca received a phone call from DJ Khaled. She had sent him a demo over of the song she and Emily worked together on and felt like it really could be something, he passed it on to his executives in LA and they agreed. He told Beca that he wanted her to come over to LA, not permanently but for a week at least. It was completely up to her and at first she was going to say no but now she was thinking that a week away to LA might be good for her to get some headspace.

 

Beca shrugged as she turned “I mean it wouldn’t suck”

 

“You’re doing it again” Amy sighed, now getting more serious. Beca looked to her and just shrugged what “What?”

 

“Running away”

 

“Jesus I’ll be coming back” Beca dropped the spoon in the sink and began to walk back towards her room with her coffee in her hand, on her way to get ready, she stopped when Amy didn’t drop it “Beca going to LA isn’t going to help things. It might make things worse with Chloe, especially if you don’t tell her. You haven’t talked to her all week”

 

Beca turned around to her and decided to argue back “Yeah because you know, Amy ever since I had that damn breakdown on Sunday in Theo’s car I realised that I needed to take a step back and clear my head. I wouldn’t have been able to handle another week of those two”

 

“It’s not going to go away, though Beca. Not unless-”

 

“Stop” Beca held her hand up to her, with her coffee in her hand “You seriously think that I can really tell her my feelings now after all of this then you really are becoming borderline psychotic”

 

Amy just rolled her eyes and huffed. Beca bit her lip and kept her head down “I can’t put my life and career on hold forever, Amy. She’s moved on and maybe I need to do that same”

 

“You know if you go and have a good time then you’ll be offered to go there permanently?”

 

Beca cleared her throat and nodded “Yeah. And right now it doesn’t seem like such a bad thing” she didn’t give Amy a chance to speak and try to argue with her because she was too exhausted to go into the aspects of this right now.

 

She knew what she had been doing this week. She knew how she had been avoiding Chloe this week. She also knew that she was probably hurting and upsetting Chloe by it all which she hated, but she had to put herself first right now. Her body felt completely drained the next day and that was an awful feeling. So as hard as it has been not to run to Chloe when she called, she has made herself stay away for the past few days.

 

Though being on her own allowed her to think about it more and have her thoughts be very more vocal, which made her be an emotional mess some more and she got very drunk last night. She didn’t feel too bad about it this morning though, hangovers weren’t really something she got. Her head was only a little sore but nothing that made her feel like death. She could name other things in her life that made her feel like that.

 

With the whole LA thing she was still stuck on what to do, Khaled said there was no rush and that she could let him know by the very end of the week and honestly she had no idea what she was going to do, it would be a great opportunity to meet people at the LA studio and a chance for her to get some more space. But she also knew she’d be going for the wrong reasons and could lead to things getting more complicated in both job and friendships. She knew she had gone into shut down mode and it was hard for her to break out of that.

 

Dragging herself to her wardrobe and picking out the first thing she set her sights on that would match, she didn’t really care anymore. She got changed, made herself more like _herself_ and was ready to leave before she even managed to finished her coffee. She just put it back in the kitchen and rushed out to work before Amy could even look up.

 

She didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t even want to think about it that much she just wanted it all to stop but that was impossible so this was plan C. Plan C was avoid, ignore and pushing things down to the bit of her heart. So essentially, plan C was her going back being the angry 18 year old she was before meeting Chloe. For now, that worked for her.

* * *

 

Getting into work, she met up with Theo straight away, he turned to her and saw the look on her face. It’d been the same drained face for the past few days “Good morning sunshine”

 

“Don’t make me fire you” she said plainly, dropping her hands onto her hips as she stood in front of the mac that had the demo on it “Where are we at?”

 

Theo played the track back. Over the week they added an actual voice to it, her voice. It was only meant to be a temporary thing “I sent this version to Khaled”

 

Beca folded her arms and looked to him “And?”

 

“And he loves it...with your vocals”

 

Beca rolled her eyes and sighed. She was afraid this was going to happen, looking away from him when she heard him add on “He wants you to release it as your own, as an artist”

 

“But-”

 

“Beca. You’re telling me you don’t want a hit record as the producer _and_ singer?”

 

“I told you the first time i met you that me singing is more of a hobby, just something I do for fun”

 

“Yeah and people say if you can make your hobby your job then you’ll never have to work a day in your life”

 

Beca looked to him and squinted as she shrugged at him “Who says that?”

 

“Just _people_ alright. Beca give it a shot. Your voice has got something that hooks”

 

“Alright Simon Cowell I get it, you want me to use my voice. Let me think about it” she shut him down quickly. As she has said before, she does like Theo it’s just when he doesn’t stop with the talking.

 

“Sure, you can get a better decision when you’re in LA with Khaled” Theo casually dropped with a small smirk on his face, another swing he had taken for her to give him an answer as to whether she was going to go or not. Beca dragged her lip along her bottom lip and just sighed before looking at him. He raised his brows to her “You’re coming aren’t you?”

 

“I told you I don’t know. I’ve got _stuff_ going on here”

 

“That stuff will still be here waiting for you next week” he shrugged, then holding his hands up “I know you’ve got till sunday so I’ll just shut up”

 

Beca just nodded and stopped the song. She just muttered her approval for the track being sent ahead and then left to go into her office. She walked to her desk and leaned down against it to just take a breath, then looking over to the photos she had of herself and Chloe and the polaroid she kept of Chloe.

 

Half of her felt like getting rid of it, she felt like she shouldn’t have it, that she had to remind herself that Chloe was never and never will be hers. But the other half couldn’t bring herself to actually take hold of it and put it out of her sight. For the first time of the day she checked her phone and saw she had yet another voicemail from Chloe.

 

She always wanted to just ignore it but she never could.

 

_“Becs it’s me. Again. Look it’s been nearly a week since I’ve heard from you, I don’t know whether I should start getting worried that you’ve ditched me for a younger model...just call, or come round. Something. Please”_

 

It was tempting for her to just give in and call her back, but she felt like she wasn’t ready until Chicago left on Sunday. It had been one of the worst weeks ever this past week.

 

She’s completely given up in trying to put on any kind of brave face.

* * *

 

Chloe tried to push it all away the best she could throughout the day but it was so hard. It was hard not to think about what has been going on in Beca’s head to make her go so cold. It was hard not to get upset about it, all of it was hard but she did her best in putting on a happy face and seemed to be successful with it since her day went smoothly with Chicago in central park. They did have a nice time. They got some good food, watched some of the street acts, lay and chilled on the grass in front of the water and watched the boats go by. It was a nice day and they tried to make it last and like every Friday. Chloe went to Smokes Bar but this time with him instead of Beca.

 

Perhaps a part of her continued the tradition of going there because she was hoping that Beca would do the same and showed up so she could see her, and if she did. She would collar her until she got an answer, most of all she just wanted to make sure she was alright before she asked for answers.

 

Chloe walked over to the bar as she told Chicago to go and secure her usual table by the window. The barmaid became a good friend of hers she had been in that many times.

 

“Hey pretty lady”

 

“Hey, Kirby” Chloe said as she leaned down on the table and smiled at the young blonde. Kirby looked around before taking her eyes back to Chloe “No Beca tonight?”

 

“No she’s got work or something” Chloe waved her hand and shrugged “Might come in soon but I’m not counting on it”

 

“Shit. I just got in a new drink for her to try out that she would’ve liked” Kirby sighed, dropping her hands on her hips “Oh well. Save it for a rainy day I guess-what can I get you? Usual Mojito?”

 

“Yes and a Bud”

 

Kirby raised a brow “A Bud?”

 

Chloe then motioned her hand over to the table, Kirby raised a brow and smirked back to her “Jeez Chlo. And I thought you were scoring big with Beca”

 

“Beca and I weren’t-we’re not-”

 

“Whatever you say” she smirked, quickly getting the drinks before Chloe could try and deny anything further. Kirby then pointed to her with a bottle in her hand as she walked back “As someone who is always appreciate of _both_. He’s hot. And maybe now Beca will finally let me flirt with her”

 

Chloe just swallowed thickly. She’d be lying if a flare of jealousy didn’t just run through her, jealousy regarding Kirby has happened before. Whenever she and Beca would come here together and she saw how Kirby did flirt with Beca when she got up and got the drinks she always got jealous. Kirby was insanely hot, not many girls could pull off the more badass bohemian look but she did it very well. If it weren’t for Chloe thinking Beca was straight, she would have gotten really worried. Beca never saw Kirby like that though, just a flirty friend. She’s only ever had eyes for Chloe.

 

Kirby opened up the bottle and quickly made Chloe’s drink for her and put it on a tab because there was sure to be plenty more. Chloe thanked her kindly and then walked back over to the table, getting a seat next to Chicago who clinked their glasses together and soon became wrapped up in conversation.

 

“Hate the fact that I gotta leave you soon”

 

Chloe frowned “I don’t want to even think about that”

 

“I know” Chicago placed his hand over hers and gently smiled to her “All I will say on it is that I swear I’m gonna try and speak to you every day and see you whenever I come home”

 

Chloe gave him a tearful smile and just nodded, giving his hand a squeeze. She was going to miss him. She had made a bond with him over these past two weeks and she cared for him, and it was already a scary feeling that he was going back overseas to fight for this country.

 

They didn’t dwell on it like Chloe said, they would save that for tomorrow night and Sunday morning. In the middle of their conversation and laughter, Chloe’s eyes were then distracted by something else, she looked out the window and saw Beca stood there. Her breath suddenly got caught in her throat, seeing that once the brunette saw that Chloe had seen her she put her head down and continued to walk down the street.

 

Chloe put her glass down on the table and put her hand on his arm as she got off of her seat “I’ll be back in a minute”

 

Without giving any further explanation to him, she ran out the bar and pleaded as soon as she stepped outside “Beca!”

 

Beca stopped “Jesus” she whispered beneath her breath.

 

“Please”

 

She bit her lip and then slowly turned around to Chloe “I was just-”

 

“Avoiding me like you have been doing all week?” Chloe said in a sharp cry. Beca took a breath and just shook her head at her “I’m sorry. But I gotta go”

 

As she went to walk again, Chloe took a step forward “You knew I was going to be here, you must have why else would you have walked this way to get to Amy’s?”

 

Beca stopped and turned again, still trying to avoid looking at her “I...I dont know I guess I just wanted to see you”

 

“But not speak to me?” Chloe whimpered “Beca I’ve called so many times this week, after Sunday I thought we would be seeing each other more not less. You completely cut me off this whole week. You’re meant to be coming home on Sunday after Chicago leaves I…why aren’t you talking?”

 

Beca dug her hands into her coat pockets and said nothing, she just looked away from her. Chloe squinted to her, she knew what Beca looked like when she cried. She had only ever seen her cry a handful of times in the seven years that she has known her but she could still tell when she had been, it was a never a sight she was used to and never a sight she ever took pleasure in seeing, it made her want to cry all the same.

 

“Why are you so upset?”

 

“I’m not” Beca muttered, shaking her head as she looked back to her.

 

“I’ve been by your side for six years believe me I know when you’re upset. If anything it’s me who should be upset. You’re the one who’s blew me off”

 

“Sorry if I don’t feel like spending another week with you and your boyfriend” Beca laughed with bitterness.

 

Chloe’s brows pinched together, glancing over to the bar and seeing Chicago sat at the table on his own. Chloe quickly looked back to Beca “You know that this is the last time I’ll see him in god knows when-I’m sorry that I want to spend time with him and I’m _sorry_ that I wanted you two to get to know each other”

 

“I don’t want to get to know him” Beca mumbled, looking down to the ground and trying to wish this conversation away. But of course it wasn’t going to happen, she took in a breath and lifted her head back up, seeing how Chloe’s sad blue eyes just stuck to her. It made her want to die a little bit inside, knowing that she was disappointing or upsetting her in same way.

 

Chloe shrugged as she challenged “Why?”

 

“Because I don’t want to”

 

“ _Why_?”

 

“Because! Because I actually _hate_ him” Beca seethed, once again pointing to the inside of the bar. Taking Chloe by complete surprise, her jaw completely dropping and staying silent for a fair few seconds. She didn’t know what she was expecting to hear her say but it wasn’t something like that.

 

Beca dropped her hand as her eyes began to glaze over again, she took a breath and spoke in a more calm tone “I don’t hate him because he’s a shitty guy or anything in fact I hate him because he’s _such_ a nice guy I hate him because…” she looked to Chloe and took another breath, letting out a shrug “Because he’s with you”

 

_Shit. There’s no going back from that, Mitchell_

 

Chloe looked at her harder, she felt like she knew what Beca meant but didn’t know whether to try and confirm it “What? What does that mean, Beca?”

 

“Oh I think we’ve known for sometime what that means, Chlo”

 

Chloe sucked in a breath and bit her lip. Trying not to cry “You...you mean you”

 

Beca looked away from her, closing her eyes for a moment and took a breath, then hearing the redhead say in a crying plea “Say it”

 

“No”

 

“ _Say it_ ” she pleaded in a more demanding tone “Prove to me that these past six years I haven’t been driving myself crazy”

 

Beca bit her lip, grinding her teeth together for a moment. She had never admitted to it out loud, it had always been a silent tension that she tried to not get into ever since they met. Beca rubbed her forehead and after Chloe said her name again to push her. She quickly dropped her hand and blurted with her eyes closed “Jesus, Chloe I’m in love you”

 

 _There’s_ **_definitely_ ** _no going back_

 

Beca took another breath “Alright? No you’ve not been crazy these past six years I have loved you since...I don’t even know when but there, I’ve said it. And last week was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with, I’ve been off the radar this week cause I literally couldn’t take it anymore. There that’s the truth”

 

“You’ve felt this for as long as I have? Six years?”

 

Beca just nodded.

 

“When you were with Jesse?”

 

Beca nodded again. Chloe didn’t look relieved or upset at the words, nor did she look that surprise. She looked pretty angry, she bit down on her lip “You’re doing this now? _Now_ , Beca?”

 

“Did you never think-”

 

“No” Chloe breathed “No I didn’t ever think you felt the same. I dreamt and I hoped for it but I never really thought you did. A few year- _months_ ago even, this would have been everything...but now that I’m seeing someone you all of a sudden decide now is the time to tell me that you love me? How the hell do you think it was for me,  Bec?”

 

Beca’s brows pinched “What?”

 

“I had to watch you be with Jesse for three years! And I didn’t say anything because Jesse was my friend but most of all you seemed _happy_. You telling me this clearly shows that you knew that I loved you!”

 

And just like that she came out with it, _angry_. Chloe never thought she would ever tell Beca she loved her whilst angry yet here they were. Beca was struck by it at first and then tried to move pat and explain.

 

“I only found out that you are-or were, a few weeks ago...and Jesse was-” Beca paused for a moment to choose the right words, a tearful smile then growing on her face “I loved Jesse, I did. But a part of me being with him was to push down what I felt...for you. And a part of him knew that too which was a factor to our break up”

 

“Does everyone know apart from me?”

 

“Chlo, a few years ago the roles in this was very much reversed”

 

Chloe opened her mouth to argue and got stuck for a moment, then shaking her head “And what about the time after you broke up with Jesse?”

 

“I was scared!”

 

“But not now?”

 

“I have my hands in my pockets cause they are shaking, Chlo. I’m terrified right now” Beca glanced to Chicago in the bar, biting on down on her lip as she considered her words, she just shrugged “I suppose I was never sure what kind of love I was feeling. At least I I tried to tell myself that I was never sure”

 

“It took me meeting someone else to make you sure” Chloe nodded with an unimpressed look in her face “I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted”

 

“You don’t love him Chloe you’ve only known him like a month” Beca took a step to her, looking deeply into her eyes and then asked in a mutter “Put the cards on the table. Please”

 

“Like I’ve been _begging_ you to do for the past six years”

 

“Look like i said I was scared that I’d mess it up, that I’d mess up having you in my life entirely and I convinced myself that if I had to have to settle with you being just my friend in order to have you with me then I’d have to deal with that but-” she bowed her head for a moment and then shook her head “But when I saw you kiss him that night at the USO. That was the biggest heartbreak I had ever felt. I don’t think anything compares”

 

“You can’t put that kind of guilt on me” Chloe cried in a whisper, Beca looking up to her. Going suddenly teary, Chloe shut her eyes and whimpered “God, Beca I wanted you _so_ bad. I waited for you to figure out what you wanted but I couldn’t wait forever. I made a connection with Chicago and I can’t ignore that”

 

“Do you love him?”

 

“No. But that’s not the point”

 

Chloe took in a breath and shook her head, suddenly saying in a more sharp voice but a cry was there all the same “You know what Chicago and I might be nothing _special_ right now but what you and I have is what?”

 

Beca just looked at her, not finding words to even say. Chloe tired not to get too upset as she cried in a strained voice “ _What?_ ”

 

“Chloe I’m…” she shrugged, getting frustrated with herself.

 

“You don’t even know” Chloe shook her head “A part of me feels liberated, being able to finally admit to you that I loved you for so many years. But I hate that it’s in this situation”

 

Beca just stared at her in silence for a moment and then echoed in a dry voice “ _Loved_...as in not anymore?”

 

“Bec” Chloe cried breathlessly as she looked down to the floor for a moment.

 

“I’m sorry” Beca quickly muttered, taking a step back and wiping her tears “I’m not being fair to you. This is my own fault, I should’ve said something sooner”

 

Beca put her hands back in her jacket and nodded to the bar “You go back in there, have a good night”

 

“You expect me to have a good night after this?” Chloe huffed as she watched Beca take small steps away, her heart aching at every step she saw her take. Beca nodded “Yeah. I do. And you can, you can push through anything”

 

Beca gave her one more shrug before turning around completely and this time she didn’t stop when Chloe called, she didn’t try to hide her face either when the tears started to fall down her cheeks again, because god knows that was one of the hardest things she has ever had to do.

 

Chloe stood there frozen for a moment. Not knowing if that really just happened. If Beca Mitchell, the girl that she has been completely and hopelessly in love with for all these years really just returned the same feelings and knowing they have both felt like this the entire time but have been too scared to say anything. How was she supposed to digest something like that? She turned to go back into the bar and then stopped herself for a moment. She looked to the window and saw Chicago looking at her, seeing him mouth “You okay?”

 

Chloe looked down the street and saw Beca get further away, she looked back to him and held her finger up to him, asking for another minute. Not really knowing what she was doing, she ran down the street after Beca and grabbed her, pulling her into the alley that was by the side of them.

 

She kept her hands clutched to Beca’s jacket, their breaths hitting each other by the intense closeness. Their lips _almost_ touching, their foreheads gently pressed together. Beca wanted to kiss her right here, and this was her chance. And she knew that Chloe had chased her down the street, grabbed her into the alley with the desire to kiss her too. But there was one thing she also knew, Chloe was so emotional and confused right now that she didn’t actually know what she was doing.

 

She was trembling. Beca reached up and put her hand on the redhead’s cheek “Chloe…” she took a breath and pulled her head back, putting her hands on Chloe’s and gently took them off of her jacket, looking into her eyes “Go back to the bar”

 

“Beca-”

 

“Believe me, I want nothing more than...but not like this. You’re upset and confused. So am I. But there’s one thing you’ve never been and that’s a liar or a cheat”

 

Beca put her hand on her cheek once again and leaned forward, kissing her cheek for a sweet tender moment. She looked back to her “I’m sorry I’ve done this to you”

 

“No I-”

 

“He’ll be wondering where you’ve gone. Don’t make him panic and go running around a city he has no idea about” Beca warned. Chloe just looked at her, looking into her dark eyes and then slowly just nodded. Taking a step back and walking out the alley and down the street back to the bar after looking over her shoulder once more and seeing Beca walk in the opposite direction.

 

Chicago could see that she was upset and had been crying, but it didn’t take much to know what what happened since he had front row seats to Chloe and Beca’s argument. But of course, she didn’t tell him what it was really about.

* * *

 

Beca walked into Amy’s apartment. Seeing her passed out on the couch with some stupid reality TV show playing. She didn’t both to wake her up or turn the TV off like she usually did. She just ran into her room straight away and dropped down onto the bed. Covering her face with her pillow and finally letting out the tears and sobs.

 

So much so that her whole body was shaking, her stomach began to hurt. She threw the pillow away and pressed her palm against her forehead as her tears ran down her cheeks. Did all of that really just happen? Did she really just pour her heart out to Chloe in the middle of the street after so long of hurt? And for it to go like that made it more heartbreaking than a relief.

 

She knew she should have just kept her mouth shut and try to deal with it in her own way so Chloe could go on being blissful like she did for her all those years ago with Jesse. She hated herself even more in this moment. She had not only put their friendship on the line that she was always scared in doing, but she has thrown Chloe and her feelings in turmoil, she’s caused her pain and knowing that was the worst feeling in the entire world.

 

It would just be best for everyone if she just went away, tonight had proven that. Look at what she did when things got too much for her. She explodes out the whole truth and then just leaves upset and hurt. It was what Beca Mitchell did.

 

Calming herself down, Beca sat up on her bed and grabbed her phone. Not even thinking or hesitating she made a call.

 

Waiting as the phone rang and a few long seconds later “Theo it’s me. What? Yeah I’m...I’m fine I just...just tell Khaled that…” she closed her eyes and nodded “Tell him that I’m coming to LA with you. Yeah I’m sure, when? Yeah I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye”

 

She hung up and just stared down at her phone. She got no missed calls or texts from Chloe, no nothing and she couldn’t blame her. She _didn’t_ blame her. Not in any way. She hung the phone up knowing that this was for the best.

 

Her leaving for LA was going to be the best thing for everyone. She wasn't thinking clearly, but in this moment she wanted nothing more than to just hide away. An overwhelmed mind always made overwhelming decisions.

* * *

 

**There you go, it's all out in the open now.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chloe didn’t sleep at all, she couldn’t. Not when she had the whole scenario of last night playing in her head non stop, over and over again. Barely even being able to believe that it actually happened. Beca really stood in front of her and told her everything. Everything that deep down she had always dreamed and prayed to hear. But not in this situation.

 

Not when she was lay in bed now with a boyfriend beside her, his arm draped over her stomach and his mouth resting softly against her shoulder as he slept. She looked over to him and it broke her, he didn’t deserve to be dragged into something so complex. To him, he was just a guy dating a girl with no complications of baggage, he had opened up to her so much this week and told her how it was always scary for him to get into a relationship cause in the past people just couldn’t handle it with the army thing and broke it off. 

 

Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do and now she was stuck. Maybe Beca telling her this had changed everything for her, she really didn’t know anymore. All she knows is that she was  _ so  _ in love with Beca for so long and now she really  _ really  _ cared for Chicago. But now knowing that Beca loved her back made her feel something new, she just didn’t know what. 

 

She ran her fingers through the side of his hair as he slept and just sighed. What was she supposed to do? He was leaving tomorrow, how was she supposed to handle this? It now scared her even more him leaving, before hand it was just because she was scared in being apart from him in case something happened to him but  _ now  _ she was scared that things would happen with Beca that would make her hurt him no matter where he was in the world. 

 

She grabbed Beca last night and  _ went  _ to kiss her, if it wasn’t for that rational voice in the back of her head and the one coming from Beca’s mouth then she would have. The thing was, if the situation built up like that again she’s not sure she would be able to stop herself and she really didn’t want to be that person. He didn’t deserve that. 

 

She could have everything she has ever wanted since she was 21 years old. Her mind was going at around a hundred miles an hour and there was no way in stopping it. Chloe told Aubrey two weeks back that she couldn’t just turn her feelings off for Beca and she still stood by that, she was still in love with Beca she knew that much. But now knowing that Beca was in love with her made her heart race and she couldn’t tell whether it was in a good way or a scary way, because she understood when Beca said she kept her mouth shut for all these years because she was scared, she related to that. She told herself and everyone else that she kept her mouth shut because Beca was happy with Jesse but that wasn’t true, she was scared as well. But Beca has been broken up from Jesse for over two years now so she no longer had him as an excuse, and a part of her was still angry at her for that. 

 

She was brought out of her thoughts once she felt Chicago’s hand move against her waist and then heard him grumble as he stirred and woke, not lifting his head, he looked up to her and gave her a groggy smile “Hey”

 

“Hi” she said softly, hiding the distraction down.

 

“How long have you been awake?”

 

“Not long” she convincingly lied.

 

Chicago then propped himself up, resting his head on his hand as his elbow pressed down on the pillow, looking at her properly “You thinking about last night?” 

 

Chloe bit her lip and nodded, she sighed “It’s hard not to. We’ve never had a fight like that before”

 

“If she’s come to blows because of the stress of work then that’s on her, babe. I don’t think she was trying to blame you I think it was just that you were there when she finally came to blows. She’ll come around”

 

Chloe didn’t know what to tell him at first when he asked what had happened, so she just said that Beca ripped her head off to leave her alone because she was stressed about work. That was the best thing she could come up with but it was well believed. She just gave him a smile at his encouraging words and nodded. 

 

Chloe climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to get a shower, she had a feeling it was going to be one of those long ones where she thought everything over. A few minutes after getting into the bathroom, her phone began to ring. 

 

Chicago sat up and looked over, seeing who it was he decided to pick up.

 

“Beca, hey”

 

_ “Uh, hi”  _ Beca mumbled on the other side of her phone, clearly sounded disappointed by who’s voice she heard  _ “Is Chloe there?” _

 

“She’s just in the shower right now, want me to grab her for you?”

 

There was a pause  _ “No it’s fine. Just tell her that I’m…” _

 

“You’re?”

 

Beca cleared her throat  _ “Nothing forget it” _

 

Chicago glanced to the door, not hearing Chloe sing like he picked up that she usually does. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose “Look. Beca, I know it isn’t really my place but she’s really cut up about the fight you guys had, the sooner you guys patch things up the better”

 

_ “Yeah you’re right it isn’t your place”  _ there was then another pause and he heard her take a breath  _ “I’m sorry, I sounded like an asshole. I’m just a little stressed-look just forget I called, I won’t see you now so it’s been good seeing you and stuff and um safe travels and all” _

 

“What’d you mean you’re not...Beca?” Chicago pulled the phone away from his ear as he heard the bleep and saw that she had in fact hung up. He cursed under his breath and then just put her phone back down on the side. 

 

Chloe came out of the shower a few minutes later, as soon as she did, Chicago pointed to the phone “Beca called a few minutes ago”

 

Her head snapped to her phone, her heart beginning to pound all over again “What? What did she say?”

 

“Nothing really, I think as soon as someone who wasn’t you picked up then she quickly backed out. I’d said I’d go get you but she said she didn’t want me to and when I tried to get her to stay on the line and talk she just said that” he shrugged as he struggled to remember and then nodded “Something like she won’t be seeing me now which I don’t get” 

 

“I do” Chloe sighed, dropped the towel she was using to dry her hair and threw it in the basket to the side “She means she’s not going to come and see me this weekend which means she won’t see you in the process” 

 

She let out a heavy exhale “I’ve got no idea what the hell is going to happen from tomorrow” 

 

“I’m sure once the dust is settled you guys will talk it out” he put his hands on her arms and gently smiled “I’m sure she’ll be back here in no time”

 

Choe bit her lip and took another breath, just nodding but having zero faith in that statement. Not after everything that had happened, the dust would not settle so easily. Chicago kissed her forehead and then clapped his hands together “How bout we just chill out this morning? Watch that film you couldn’t believe I’ve never seen...the, uh-”

 

“The Notebook” Chloe finished his sentence in a tired manner. 

 

“Exactly. C’mon what do you say? Last day together, a chill out sounds pretty perfect right now” 

 

She gave him a tight smile and nodded, she had to admit. She didn’t really feel like going around the city that much today she wanted to mope a little, but she couldn’t let it show. So she agreed to the idea of the movie and as he went to set it up on her laptop, she went and made them drinks as he watched the trailer of the film to try and understand more, apparently he likes doing that before he watches a film. 

 

Chloe made her way back over to the bed, giving him a convincing tight smile as she settled beside him, he put his arm around her after leaning forward and pressing play, as the titles rolled on, she heard him say “Okay so watching the trailer of this. She gets stuck between two guys?” 

 

“Yeah. It’s more complicated than that though” Chloe defended, looking down to her hot drink that was held between her palms. Chicago looked down to her “Yeah? How come? What’s your take?”

 

She looked up and saw his simple smile. Chloe bit her lip and shrugged, glancing to the screen “One of them is her first love, someone she never really stopped loving even when she was with the other, who was kind, charming, everything a person could want but it’s always that thing of not being able to move on...”

 

“ _ He’s not you _ and all that then?” he hinted, then nodding as he looked back to the screen, rubbing her arm “Gotta say. I’m kind of a sucker for those kind of romances. Can’t help but feel for the poor bastard who comes in afterwards y’know?” 

 

Chloe couldn’t stop herself, it was too close to what she was now going through that she let out a quiet sob, but it was enough for him to pick up on it, he looked down and saw her as she had her hand over her mouth and a tear down her cheek, his arm tightened around her as he smiled “Hey, movie hasn’t even started yet, softie” 

 

“I’m sorry” she blubbered.

 

“You’re apologizing for crying?” he chuckled, thinking that she was just being adorable and sensitive around this film but he was oblivious to what was going on in her head. 

 

Now that she had said it, she told herself she had to push through, shaking her head as she sat up from leaning against him “No, I’m  _ really _ sorry” 

 

His brows pinched together as he looked at her, now realising she wasn’t being soft or sensitive at all. She was being serious about something, he leaned forward again and put the movie to a stop before taking his whole attention back to her, he tucked a piece of hair that had fallen to her face back behind her ear “What’s going on, Chlo?”

 

Chloe kept her eyes closed, taking a breath “I didn’t think this would happen”

 

“You’re not making any sense” he said, now getting more concerned, he ducked his head to try and get her attention more, raising his brows “Chloe look at me”

 

She opened her eyes and met his, Chicago shrugged after just looking at her “Take some breaths, whatever it is it’ll be okay”

 

Chloe put her hand to his cheek as she frowned and cried out “You’re so sweet and great...I really do care about you”

 

“Yeah I care about you too” he then took a breath through his nose “And I also feel like there is a  _ but _ coming”

 

“It’s not what you think it is”

 

“No?”

 

“No, I swear it has nothing to do with you being in the army”

 

Not knowing whether to believe her or not, he gently tested as he shrugged “Then what is it?”

 

“I’m in love with someone else” Chloe quickly blurted out, seeing his face dropped to being shocked more than anything that  _ that  _ was her confession. He really did think it was the curse of the soldier again. His brows pinched to her and slowly repeated “You’re in love with someone else?”

 

Chloe nodded and then sighed, looking down to her hands “I’ve been in love with them since I was twenty and things got in the way for me to admit it, I guess I was scared too” she looked back to him “I swear to god I wasn’t using you, I really do like you and adore you...I really thought I’d move on with you”

 

Slowly, Chicago nodded as he took in the information “So what’s changed? What’s made you realise that you can’t?”

 

“I found out that they’ve been the same with me over the years” 

 

Chicago then started to put the pieces together, nodding as he sat up more straight “Beca” he ran his fingers through his hair and just nodded. 

 

He looked and saw the surprise expression that had now hit Chloe’s face. Not thinking he would come to that conclusion. Chicago folded his arms and nodded as he then admitted “Back overseas at the USO. I thought there was something between you guys, but I liked you so when you kissed me I thought I was wrong. Guess not. There have been things whilst I’ve been here that made me wonder...”

 

Stuck on what to say, with more tears running down her cheeks, Chloe shrugged before finding words “I really didn’t think that she ever felt…”

 

“Guess it took seeing you with someone else to make her realise” he nodded with a glum and down right defeated look on his face “So  _ that’s  _ what you guys fought about last night?”

 

Chloe just nodded, taking in a breath “Like I said, I do care about you and you’re amazing-”

 

“But  _ I’m not her _ . I know”

 

“I never meant for you to get hurt, I really didn’t I can’t say sorry enough but I can’t carry on when my heart is somewhere else” she took a breath, his eyes no longer on her. Her face dropped again as she cried “Please don’t hate me” 

 

Chicago’s head then snapped back to her, quickly shaking it as he put his hand on her arm “Chloe I don’t-I could never hate you” he now really saw how upset she looked about it all and sighed, putting his hand on the back of her head and pulled her close. 

 

His arms wrapped around her and she nuzzled her head into his neck. After a moment of silence, he then said in a light hearted tone as he rubbed her back “Look, this sucks on my part sure because I think you’re one of  _ the  _ most amazing people i’ve ever met”

 

She blubbered a small laugh as she rested her head on his shoulder and sighed “You’re not making this easier”

 

He let out a small smile and pulled back after a while, wiping a tear from her cheek “Point is. Yeah this sucks but at the end of the day you can’t control our feelings, and you sure as hell can’t stay with someone to try and block it out” 

 

“So” Chloe thought for a moment, not wanting to upset him further “What you’re saying here is that I’ve done the right thing?”

 

“Yeah. You have, I’d rather be told the truth than be with someone who feels like they have to live some kind of lie, y’know? And I wouldn't want you to go on feeling the way you have been” 

 

Chloe sighed once more, on one hand she was more than glad that he was being understanding and supportive but it was also crushing how nice he was, it would be easier if went off the handle and revealed himself to be an ass, but no, he was still the same old nice guy. She frowned and pressed her forehead against his shoulder, feeling his lips press against the top of his head as he then let out a light hearted sigh “So here’s what’s going to happen, you’re going to find Beca and talk to her and I am going to head to Brooklyn and stay with my cousin before heading back tomorrow”

 

Chloe looked up to him “Shit I’ve totally messed up your trip into the city”

 

“No you’ve not!” he quickly reassured “Hey two weeks in the big apple has been a great ride, spending time with my cousin, aunt and uncle won’t be the worst way to end it”

 

“They’re going to think I’m such a jerk”

 

He shook his head and spoke gently “No, cause I’d never talk about you in a way that would let them think like that” he then leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek before looking at her with a fond expression “If it makes you feel any better...I am rooting for you. I just want you to be happy”

 

“I want the same for you. And I know you’ll find someone, I swear you will” Chloe whispered, squeezing his hand. He gave her another tight smile and then got off the bed, heading into the bathroom with his phone to make the call. 

 

Chloe dropped her head into her hands, she wasn’t expecting all of that but once she started that cry she couldn’t stop and it all came pouring out. Thank god he did handle it the way he did, and she did feel like a big weight had been lifted. 

 

Still, she sat there in silence on the bed almost frozen for the entire time of him being on the phone for a whole fifteen minutes, coming back out and zipping up his duffel that had all his stuff in, crouched on the floor he looked to her and eventually noticed “Chloe”

 

She jumped as she snapped out of her gaze and looked to him, he tilted his head and sighed “Stop beating yourself up, okay?” 

 

Chloe just sighed as he stood up, with his bag on his shoulder. Eventually she got up off the bed and walked him to the door, which was the least that she could do. He assured her he wouldn’t have much trouble getting a cab.

 

“What did you tell him?”

 

“Just that I’d explain fully when I get there” he shrugged “What I’m going to tell him is that we’ve had a talk about things and have realised that we both have things going on in our lives that will makes things difficult to maintain a relationship so we’ve decided to stay friends”

 

“And we are still that? We’re still going to be friends?”

 

Chicago smiled to her “Chloe I don’t know how anyone could cope in this world without someone like you, yes we’re still going to be friends. Believe it or not I’m insanely glad I met you”

 

With her eyes watering again, she smiled and just nodded to him “Me too”

 

Chicago shrugged as he gripped tighter onto his bag strap “And listen, if you ever need anyone to vent to. I’m always just a phone call or text away, okay?” 

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah” he shrugged again “Might not be your boyfriend but I’m always there for you from now on, you can count on me for that” 

 

“Thank you” Chloe breathed, holding onto his hand. 

 

“Good luck, Chloe” Chicago leaned forward and left a long kiss against her forehead, Chloe let out a soft exhale and shrugged “I should be saying that to you”

 

He laughed “Not about luck I don’t think”

 

“Okay well just...stay safe” 

 

“I’ll try” he said gently, giving her hand a squeeze before letting go “Goodbye, Chloe”

 

“Bye” she whispered. Watching him open the door and then walk out and down the steps of the apartment building, giving her one last caring look before leaving altogether. Chloe closed the door and stood there, completely still for a moment as she processed what just happened because it all happened so fast. 

 

As her hand slowly slid down the door, she thought to what he said to her. She listened to his words and knew that he was right. Now that she had told the truth to him, she realised she did it because she knew that she needed to be with Beca. She still wanted Beca with every fibre of her being. 

 

And there was no time to waste, she had to see her and it had to be now. She had to go and apologise for everything from last night and tell her that she was still very much in love with her. Her stomach suddenly burst through with butterflies, she felt like she shouldn’t be feeling happy right now but she couldn’t help it. She was finally going to get Beca Mitchell. 

 

Chloe stepped away from the door only to grab her jacket and money on the side for a cab. She rushed out the door and raced down the stairs out of the building and into the street where she hollered for a cab as soon as she saw it. Quickly getting one to pull over, she got in and gave Amy’s address. It had just gone noon and it was a Saturday, by all rights Beca should be there. Hell she’d probably still be in bed. 

 

She looked down and saw how much her hands were trembling, she still had no idea what she was going to say. Was she just going to blurt out that she was in fact still madly in love with her or was she going to be more calm and settled about it? Have a real conversation with her, but knowing how she gets when her emotions build up it was most likely going to be the first one and then explain afterwards. 

 

Everything felt like it was going so fast, from Chicago leaving to her getting outside of Amy’s apartment, she paid the cab driver and got out as she rushed into the building and made it up to Amy’s pad. 

* * *

 

Walking in to Amy practicing her routine for her next show. Amy looked to her “Aw hey, Chloe! What’s your ginger ass doing here?”

 

“Is Beca in her room?” 

 

Amy stopped what she was doing and turned to her “What? No”

 

“She's at work then?”

 

Chloe watched as Amy’s face dropped, then frowning as she scowled “She said she was going to call you!”

 

Chloe’s brows pinched together, shrugging “What’s going on?”

 

“You haven't spoke to her?”

 

“Not since our fight last night. Amy in the nicest way, cut the crap and tell me where Beca is”

 

“JFK Airport”

 

Her heart suddenly dropped as her stomach flipped, and not in a good way. Slowly shaking her head and shrugged as she said breathlessly “What? Why is she there, is she picking someone up?”

 

“No...Chloe she’s going to LA. DJ Khaled has asked her to go” 

 

Her heart now began to race even more and still not in a good way. Her eyes filled as she shook his head more “She’s-when did she decide this?”

 

“Last night” Amy said awkwardly.

 

“After our fight” she cried, letting out a breath as she rested her palm on her forehead and took a breath “How can she leave without talking to me I thought we…”

 

“Chlo she was really devastated by your fight”

 

“Yeah so was I. I don’t go flying across the country” she stopped herself from getting angry, she wasn’t going to get angry at her, she can’t. In fact it broke her heart even more that Beca felt like she needed to leave because of what happened. She thought on her feet and looked back to Amy “How long till her flight?”

 

Amy kept quiet for a moment, causing Chloe to ask more firmly “Amy what time is her flight?” 

 

The blonde quickly shrugged “I don’t know. Maybe like an hour or something-Chlo you won’t be able to make it, the traffic is supposed to be hell”

 

But Chloe didn’t listen, she just ran back into the elevator and almost broke the ground floor button by pressing it so hard and quick. She wasn’t even thinking properly anymore, her mind was just on the one thing she wanted. Beca. So if JFK was where she was meant to go then she was going. 

 

But she hoped that she could get there in time to stop Beca from boarding the plane. Chloe even gave the cab driver an extra ten dollars for them to speed up, which they did. She had never hated the distance from the city to the airport so much in all of her life. 

 

She got her phone out and called her. No answer. She hung up and called again. Still no answer. She then decided to leave a voicemail “Becs, please whatever you do don’t get on that plane. Don’t leave I’m begging you...we need to talk. Come back to me” she couldn’t tell her that she loved her back over a voice message. That wouldn’t feel right. 

 

Amy was right, the traffic was hell. But the cab driver tried to do the best he could, still it was proving to not be enough. Chloe got to the airport and as soon as she walked in. She saw that the flight to LA had departed.  _ That’s  _ why Beca hadn’t picked up, not because she was ignoring her but because her phone was off. Because she was on the plane,  _ because  _ she had left. 

 

Chloe put her hands on the back of her head and couldn’t help but hate herself for all of this. Her eyes filled up once again, she bit her lip as she swallowed thickly and turned away from the board. Taking a deep breath, she rationalised her thoughts and to her surprise within a second she knew what she was going to do. 

  
If LA was where she was meant to go then she will buy a plane ticket and go.

* * *

 

**pretty much a filler to get the ball rolling for the next part of this story**


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a quick heads up to avoid confusion I'll just lay the chapter basis here so last chapter it was chloe's POV this chapter basically takes place on the same day as the last chapter it's just beca's POV this time round

Beca hit the alarm that she had set for herself the night before and sat up to quickly wake herself. She just sat there for a moment in pure silence as she thought back to last night. How she stood in front of the girl she loved and poured her heart out in more of a heated argument than a loving statement. It was a mess, she also remembered how Chloe ran after her. How Chloe pulled her close and wanted to kiss her. A part of her regretted stopping her but she knew it was the right thing, Chloe wasn’t a girl who cheated she was actually the most loyal person she knew, the fact she even did what she did showed Beca that she was all over the place with the information she had been given.

 

But still, she wanted to kiss her so bad. She had been craving it for so long. But then her mind quickly reminded her how last night ended, it ended in them parting on more bad terms than good, it ended on Beca coming back here and crying until she physically couldn’t take it anymore and passed out. She _literally_ cried herself to sleep. She wondered if Chloe cried last night? And she didn’t know if it was wrong of her to hope that she had, cause that would mean that what she was feeling was still strong enough to cause that emotion.

 

But she didn’t want Chloe to be upset, she knew how much this weekend had meant to her because Chicago was leaving tomorrow, she knew the last thing Chloe wanted and _needed_ was all this agro from Beca. Going to LA was going to be a good thing for everyone, she had convinced herself of that. She was going to go to get a clear head and try to keep her focus on work for now and Chloe was going to get to spend the last day with boyfriend without any drama and then maybe in Beca’s absence she’ll take the time to think things over first.

 

Maybe Beca was running away a little. Maybe she was thinking that Chloe wouldn’t want to see her again for a while because of the upset she had caused not just last night but over the past few years because she had never been honest after pretending to be in love with someone else. But maybe they’re both a little guilty of that, but Beca would never blame Chloe for any of this.

 

She couldn’t just sit here around wallowing, she had a flight to catch in a few hours and Theo will be coming to pick her up in like forty minutes. Beca dragged herself out of bed and went into her en suite to grab a quick shower before she started packing. She soon went back into shut down mode and didn’t allow herself to think about last night, even though she was thinking about it all the time she didn’t give herself the chance to actually _stop_ and dwell. She got into her navy sweats, thin black sweater and loosely tied her hair up with some strands falling down on her face, she couldn’t be bothered to even put makeup on but she just forced herself to do it.

 

After getting changed, she got a text from Theo and told her that the car was going to be outside for her in just under twenty minutes. She grabbed her week appropriate sized case and laid it out on her bed as she began to pack.

 

Soon enough, her bedroom door opened and Amy came in “Hey I... _oh_. What’s occurring here?”

 

Beca sighed as she just continued to pack and then simply announced “I’m heading to LA”

 

“What! I thought-”

 

“Yeah well I changed my mind after I saw Chloe last night and we had a big fight where I spill out that I’m in love with her and she doesn’t know what the hell to do with that information, she sure as shit didn’t say she loved me back” she blurted before throwing her hairbrush in the case.

 

Amy stood there still as death with her jaw completely dropped, trying to process everything that had just been said in that five seconds “You told Chloe?”

 

“Yeah” Beca huffed, avoiding eye contact at all cost “I told Chloe. And she looked at me in a way I’ve never seen before. She didn’t know what the hell to say I could tell she didn’t know what to feel...she was...angry. She was angry that I had said this _now_ after so many years of her feeling like she was an idiot for even thinking-” she stopped herself and took a breath, just shaking her head and carried on packing her bags “So I’m leaving to get headspace and to give her space or whatever it is that she needs”

 

She was finally done and remained silent as she zipper it up and then rested her hands against it “I may have just lost the most important person in my life but hey just one more to add to the list”

 

Beca ran her fingers through her hair and then looked down as she got a text from Theo telling her that the car was now outside. She pulled the case off of the bed and pulled up the handle, she looked over to Amy and raised her brows “I guess I’ll be seeing you in a week”

 

“You’ll be seeing me as you’re come back _here_ or you'll see me after you go _home_?”

 

Beca just sighed as she stared at her and then just shrugged “I guess we’ll find that out in a weeks time”

 

“Beca. You’re going to tell Chloe you’re leaving. Right?”

 

She just paused and said nothing, clearly she was just planning to cut and run in the hopes that last night ever even happened. Amy frowned to her “If you don’t call her I will track down your plane and kill you”

 

“Bold statement” Beca muttered, looking down to her hand and heard Amy saying it was a promise. The brunette just rolled her eyes and nodded, half of the reason to just shut her up “I’ll see you in a week”

 

Beca made her way down the building and walked out to see Theo stood outside the car with his shades on which he soon took off as soon as he saw her. Giving her a smile the was too bright for both her mood and the morning.

 

“Hey”

 

“Hi” she deadpanned as the driver took her case from her and put it in the drunk. Theo squinted to her “You alright?”

 

Beca just took a breath and rolled her eyes “I’d rather not answer that question right now. Can we just get on our way?”

 

For once he let it be and opened the car door for her as she slid in. Beca sunk down into her seat as soon as she hit it, closing her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. Thinking about what Amy said, maybe she was right, maybe she should give her a call. As the car set out on it’s route and _before_ Theo could open his mouth, Beca decided to call her.

 

She waited a few seconds until she heard Chicago’s voice. A voice she really wasn’t planning on hearing.

 

_“Beca, hey”_

 

She cursed silently for a moment “Uh, hi”

 

_Stupid caller ID_

 

Beca then decided to cut the bullshit and small talk that she knew he would have with her right now if he could and got to the point “Is Chloe there?”

 

_“She’s just in the shower right now, want me to grab her for you?”_

 

She suddenly found herself to pause. Slowly the realisation that she would have to have some kind of heart to heart with Chloe over a phone call wasn’t something she wanted, especially when he was there with her _“_ No it’s fine. Just tell her that I’m…”

 

“ _You’re?”_

 

She decided that she couldn’t bring herself to leave the message that she was heading to LA over the phone either when she already had so much going on _“_ Nothing forget it”

 

She then heard Chicago sigh over the phone before he said to her _“Look. Beca, I know it isn’t really my place but she’s really cut up about the fight you guys had, the sooner you guys patch things up the better”_

 

_Who the fuck is this guy?_

 

“Yeah you’re right it isn’t your place” she chided, then taking a breath once she actually heard herself and knew that she was being a dick to him for no reason, she may not want to hear his advice but she knew he was only trying to help and he was doing it for Chloe’s sake which she couldn’t be mad at “I’m sorry, I sounded like an asshole. I’m just a little stressed-look just forget I called, I won’t see you now so it’s been good seeing you and stuff and um safe travels and all”

 

Before he could even get a word in on questioning what she meant like she knew he would, she took the phone from her ear and quickly hung up. Well that was a complete failure, and she was clearly still a coward in trying to get her emotions out. She looked over and saw Theo having a brow raised to her and then she knew that he wasn’t going to drop it, she rolled her eyes “Chloe and I got into a fight last night, okay?”

 

His expression suddenly dropped “Oh. I’m sorry”

 

“Yeah so am I” she murmured as she looked out of the window.

 

“You want to talk about-”

 

“Y’know not even a little bit”

 

Theo let out a small laugh through his nose as he looked straight ahead, he had a feeling she would shut him down like that. She shut him down on most things, he pressed his lips together and shrugged “So that’s why you called last night and said you’d come”

 

“I guess it was a contribution but I decided it on my own” Beca testified as she rested the back of her head against the seat, closing her eyes and just wanting to block everything out.

 

Theo smirked to her and nudged her “Would you like to discuss something else?”

 

“Yes. Literally anything else”

 

He laughed and then nodded “Okay so we should be arriving in LA at just gone six, essentially the rest of the weekend is free since we’ll be doing actual work on Monday”

 

“Monday?” Beca looked to him. Theo shrugged and nodded “Yeah. He takes Sunday’s to himself to spend with his son, it’s very important to him”

 

“So why are we getting a flight today?”

 

He shrugged once again “Khaled wanted you to get yourself more settled tonight and I guess he knew you’ve never been to LA before so he wanted you to get the day to see the city”

 

Well she had to admit, that was pretty nice of him to think of her. Maybe it would be good for her, she could just go running around Los Angeles to rid of all her troubles for at least a few hours before diving down into her work and forget it for a little bit longer with that.

 

“Okay that actually sounds pretty good” Beca breathed, looking back out the window again.

 

The car ride felt like it was longer somehow, maybe because she was in a car with someone who she didn’t exactly care about. Not in the way that mattered, if she was in the car with any of the girls, especially Chloe then it would feel like the shortest ride in the world because it’d be filled with conversation and laughter. But Theo didn’t know her well enough to try and have that, and their relationship wasn’t and will probably never be like that. So the car ride certainly felt longer this time round.

 

She was surprised to see people with cameras waiting around the drop off centre. Theo informed her that most of the time they just hang around in case they’ve seen anyone. At first, she doubted they would take pictures of her but she was wrong. When she stepped out and waited for her bags to be taken out of the drunk she clocked some of the snapping a few shots at her.

 

_What do I do here? Do I pretend I don’t see them or?_

 

Beca glanced to them but quickly looked away. Theo looked to her as he handed her the case “Ignore em. Always the best course of action”

 

She nodded and took hold of her case, walking her way through into the entrance of the airport. Once being in, she looked over her shoulder to the group of paparazzi that were now looking down at their cameras. She felt weird knowing that they now had photos of her. This whole aspect she still felt new to because she ignores it whenever she can.

 

_Now I’m pretty glad I wore makeup_

 

Theo then too glanced back to them and looked to her “It’s something you’ll get used to. They don’t even care who you are sometimes, they just know that drop off is for the important people”

 

“Guess I really am moving up in the world” Beca muttered, then saying in an even more dry manner “Suck it, dad”

 

Theo let out a laugh “Yeah. I can relate to that. Shitty relationship?”

 

“Not as bad as it was” Beca admitted “We’re fine now, he just never really thought I’d get here. He says differently but I know he didn’t”

 

“Feels pretty good proving people wrong huh?”

 

Beca looked to him and just nodded with a tight smile written across her face as they made it to security.

* * *

 

 

Beca finally got reception back on her phone once she landed in LA, she didn’t check it until they picked up their cases at baggage claim and followed the driver that Khaled had sent to get them, even then she was stopped a handful of times by people who said they were fans. She still couldn’t believe she even had fans.

 

Getting into the car she saw that she had a voicemail from Chloe, taking a deep breath, she then went onto listen _“Becs, please whatever you do don’t get on that plane. Don’t leave I’m begging you...we need to talk. Come back to me”_

 

And just like that she found herself fighting back the tears. Clearly Amy had told her the truth which she was pretty much expecting. It was the _come back to me_ that made her emotions build up inside of her. She pulled herself out of it and didn’t allow herself to dwell, she cleared her throat and pressed her finger underneath her eye to capture her tears before they ran down her cheeks.

 

She clicked on her messages to Chloe and decided to send her a text.

 

_Beca [6:15PM]: I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. We’ll talk soon._

 

She locked her phone and put them back into her pocket as she sat in the car with Theo and they headed to the hotel that they were to stay at for the next seven days. It was a five star hotel right near the studio. Apparently nothing but _‘The best of the best for the best’_ it was purely Khaled’s words which oddly made sense given that they were coming from him. It really was the best of the best, not that Beca was usually that person to melt over a fancy place, as long as she had a clean bed that’s all that mattered to her.

 

Theo had a room at the end of the hall on her floor, so he could knock on her door for an early morning on Monday until she had to drag herself out of bed and maybe slug him. Her suite was nearly three times the size of her and Chloe’s tiny apartment back in New York, and the view from it was amazing. She could deal with this for the next week. She put her case on the bed and began to unpack and hang her clothes up, as she went back and forth, she stopped and looked down to her phone again. Knowing that Chloe was quite literally only a phone call away.

 

_Calling the person you’re trying to give space isn’t giving them space, dumbass_

 

She also took note how it had been over an hour and she got no text back from her. Either ignoring her or having too much fun with her boyfriend which she doesn’t blame her for. He was heading back overseas to God knows where tomorrow. Before she had time to get wrapped up in her thoughts again, there was a knock on her door and it could only be one person, rolling her eyes she called for a minute as she made her way over.

 

Beca opened the door and saw Theo stood there, pretty cocky as he leaned against the door frame “Hey. You hungry?”

 

“No” she avowed, then in the silence the noise her stomach made clearly told him different. It was silent for a few seconds longer before she then mumbled “Yes”

 

The brit let out a laugh and stood up straight, pointing his thumb over his shoulder “There’s an _In-N-Out_ just at the end of the street and i was heading there so you want to come? Sounds like you need it”

 

“Fine” she grabbed her jacket and shut the door behind her, walking towards the elevators with him and then out of the hotel. They were right beside the beach, which was nice. Beca liked the ocean. She loved hearing it, she could lie for hours listening to it. When she was younger and found it hard to sleep, she would get up an audio of it from youtube and it would help her rest more. With earbuds in so she didn’t have to hear her parents scream at each other till the early dawn.

 

“It’s pretty calm tonight” she said quietly, almost to herself. Theo looked out to the sea once he realised what she was actually referring too “Yeah. It’s like that most of the times”

 

“How often do you come here?”

 

“Well I was here before the USO, then when you became my _boss_ ”

 

“Still stings?”

 

“Yeah”

 

“Awh” Beca pouted, clearly making fun to which he rolled his eyes at and then proceeded to finish her question “Then when that happened, Khaled put me in the New York Studio where you are”

 

“Can’t shake you”

 

Theo just laughed again and shrugged as they walked into the fast food restaurant and ordered their food. Beca was in the mood for a big fat cheeseburger, comfort food at it’s finest. She didn’t want to sit inside like she could do in New York. She walked out and sat at a bench that was just at the edge of the beach without saying a word. Theo of course then decided to join her. She did want to be alone, but she knew that for tonight at least that wasn’t going to happen.

 

“So are you going to be alright tomorrow? Running around LA on your own?”

 

“I am twenty six, not twelve”

 

“Twenty six year olds can still get lost” he remarked.

 

Beca just glanced to him and looked back to the beach “Cool it, okay. I’ll be fine whilst you catch up with your cali best friends”

 

“Good to know”

 

The silence fell again, both taking a bite of their food. She felt Theo’s eyes go back over to her and she knew he wanted to be interfering in asking what had happened between her and Chloe that was so terrible that has made her be so upset all day.

 

Beca shook her head “It’s about years of damage that I caused, okay? Way before you knew any of us. So don’t worry about it, it has nothing to do with my job”

 

“I wasn’t going to ask because I was thinking it was about the job, I was going to ask just so you could have the chance to vent about it, sometimes that’s better”

 

“You should be a therapist” she dryly joked. She knew that her sarcastic humour was a way to shield herself, and she knew that he probably knew that too. But she didn’t really care what Theo did or did not think of her. She let out another breath “All I need to say is that I have hurt Chloe, which is just about the worst thing I could ever do. I don’t need to vent cause I have nothing to vent about. It’s all on me”

 

Theo bobbed his head at her words as she took another bite of her food and then some of her drink “Given how low you are, I can tell that she’s probably one of the most important people in the world to you”

 

Beca scoffed and slowly shook her head “She is _the_ most important person in the world to me...and I’ve put her through a lot of shit over these past six years”

 

“Like?”

 

She then shrugged “Just let her down over and over. She’s better off”

 

“You don’t believe that”

 

Beca took in a breath and once again shrugged “I don’t know anymore. Seeing how I made her feel on Friday...I don’t know”

 

She felt his hand go on her shoulder for a moment, his awkward way in trying to comfort her or something. She didn’t react from it, she didn’t even look at him she just stared straight ahead and took in the view. Polishing off her food pretty well, she threw it in the trash beside the bench, bringing her leg up and tucking her knee up to her chest.

 

“Okay maybe you’re right. Feels a little better saying those things out loud. Even though you’re probably saying that stuff to make me feel better”

 

“Not true” Theo assured, shaking his head “I’ve just seen how strong your friendship is that’s all”

 

Beca took in a breath and sat back, then actually looking at him this time and saying wholeheartedly “Thanks”

 

He just nodded to her with a small smile on his face, Beca glanced back to the view and gently smiled “I might have come here under stressful circumstances but now that I’m here and as cheesy as it is, now that I’m looking at the view. I can just use this to make some better memories whilst I feel like shit I guess”

 

Before she could even register anything, she felt his hand go to the back of her head and turn her to him as he leaned forward, and for a split second his moment pressed against hers before she quickly shoved him back “What the hell, Theo!”

 

His jaw dropped once he realised that he had done “I’m-I’m sorry I thought-”

 

“You thought that I’m honest with you for like five seconds and that means I wanted that!” she scowled as she rose from the bench. Seeing how he still looked stunned, she couldn’t tell whether he was stunned by what he did or by the fact she pushed him back.

 

_I’m going to have to burn my lips_

 

Theo then stood up “Beca I’m sorry, I just thought you and I were getting somewhere”

 

She raised her brows at him “ _Getting somewhere_ ? The hell does that mean? We’ve been getting to know each other as colleagues, friends at a stretch but at a _very_ long stretch”

 

“Just sitting here and talking y’know, you’re saying you didn’t feel something?”

 

“Disgust now yeah”

 

He sighed again “Beca-”

 

“I’m in love with Chloe! Theo” she soon blurted, the words escaping her before she even thought about it properly, but she didn’t regret saying it. It actually felt good saying it out loud. Even seeing the shocked look on her face didn’t make her regret it. Though she could tell that it made sense to him now.

 

Theo swallowed thickly and took a breath, then saying more gently “Beca I’m sorry. Really. I messed up, that was a complete dick move and I know it’s a breach of you know our professionalism”

 

“I’m your boss” she said sternly

 

“Yes. I know I’m sorry”

 

Beca bit her lip and looked away from him, she rubbed her forehead. He was just a guy thinking with his dick and clearly that overruled his judgement “We’ll forget it”

 

She looked over and saw his sigh of relief, then raised his brows “Seriously Theo, never again”

 

“I know I’m really sorry”

 

Beca just nodded to him and looked away again. It went deadly silent, she heard him take a breath and then assumed “So...that’s what happened between the two of you. It was about that”

 

“It’s complicated. But yeah” Beca dug her hands into her pockets and left it at that. She told him that she would see him on Monday and left him stood there as she crossed the street and walked back down to the hotel.

 

She hadn’t been kissed in three years why did the first person she was kissed by have to be someone she wasn’t interested in at all. Why couldn’t have she been kissed by the person she really loved.

 

Getting back up to her room, she took her phone out of her pocket straight away and saw that she finally had a text that was actually sent a while ago.

 

_Chloe [8:35PM]: You didn’t know what else to do? Running away wasn’t the answer._

 

_Beca [9:00PM]: Like I said...I’m sorry_

 

It was arguably pretty early to go to bed but she was utterly exhausted. Emotionally drained always seemed to make you go that way. She grabbed her pyjamas, put her phone on charge and climbed into bed.

 

Chloe overshadowed everything that had happened tonight once she lay in bed and allowed her thoughts to take over. She didn’t even think about the kiss or what it felt like. It was nothing to her. She imagined kissing Chloe in that alley last night, she imagined what _that_ would feel like. How soft her lips would be, they always looked soft. Where her hands would rest on her as they sunk further into the kiss, it was enough to make her melt inside and sunk further into the mattress.

 

Thinking about Chloe always made her relax, and now she really did wish she was here.

* * *

 

**It won't be long now...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get your helmets on

Considering she went to bed early last night, she still wasn’t an early riser. She woke up gone 10AM, having to crawl out of bed and freshening herself up. She was determined to get herself out and be a little tourist today. She refused to stay in the hotel room in self pity, she was in LA god damn it and she will make herself feel better and make memories. 

 

She put on some ripped skinny jeans, a nice plain white t-shirt and grabbed her leather jacket. Just as she was about to leave, she had a knock on the door. She hoped it wasn’t Theo coming to apologise again, he already left her like three text messages. 

 

Running her fingers through her hair as she walked over to the door, Beca opened up and her heart dropped as well as her jaw “Chloe…”

 

There was silence as the redhead just stared at her. Beca dropped her hand from the handle and finally spoke again “What...what are you doing here?”

 

“You didn’t really give me a choice” Chloe asserted, stepping into her room, passing Beca. Beca took a breath and closed the hotel door, before turning she said “I know me just leaving was a dick move”

 

“Yeah. It was” she said weakly. 

 

Beca then turned to her “How did you know where I was?”

 

“I know you don’t check social media but there’s a paparazzi picture of you walking in here last night...also I was the one who told Stacie to ask you which hotel”

 

“I’m-”

 

“I followed you to the airport yesterday. I got in a cab and I got the driver to drive like hell but I still didn’t make it...and when I saw that you’d gone I was a mess”

 

Beca bit her lip and opened her mouth to speak, she stopped for a moment as another thought then came into her mind “Where’s Chicago?”

 

“Brooklyn, we’ve said our goodbyes” Chloe answered, holding off the extra information that they had broke up. 

 

“You were a mess?”

 

“After the way things ended on Friday of course I was! You just left, Beca! Without a word, do you think I deserved that?”

 

“No I just...I figured we needed the headspace”

 

“Why do you always insist in making the hard decisions on your own?” Chloe cried “When I am right here. I was right there in New York _waiting_ for you to come and talk to me” 

 

Beca ran her hands through her hair “I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry...”

 

“Sorry” Chloe echoed, looking away from her. Beca just kept her eyes on her. Trying to pick apart anything that was running through the redhead’s mind. She took a small step closer, letting out a small shrug “Is this why you came here, Chloe? Did you come all the way here to show me how mad you are at me? To yell at me for what I did”

 

“That’s just it, Bec” Chloe said weakly as she looked back to the brunette, then slowly shaking her head as she whispered “I wish I was mad” 

 

Beca bit her lip to try and stop herself from crying, she swallowed thickly “So you came here to let me know how much I’ve hurt you?”

 

“No” Chloe cried breathlessly. Before Beca could say anything back, Chloe marched over to her, now standing  _ very  _ close. Chloe lost her breath as she looked into her dark blue eyes. She tried not to lose her composure but in trying to keep it together so much, her words came out in a fragile and completely honest voice “I love you”

 

Beca stopped searching for words to defend herself and just looked at her completely stunned “What did you say?”

 

_ Is this really happening?  _

 

“You heard me” Chloe cried, her hands finally meeting Beca’s cheeks like she had always dreamed of as she whispered once again “I _love_ you” 

 

Before Beca could even speak or process the words properly, Chloe leaned forward and quickly kissed her. It was really happening, she was really kissing Chloe. After all these years of wanting nothing more than this she had it, she could finally feel for herself how soft and tender her lips were. As an impulse, Beca’s hands set firmly against her back and pulled Chloe’s closer as they walked further into her room. Beca put her hand to Chloe’s jaw and after a moment she managed to pull away to catch her breath and then ask “What about Chicago?”

 

“I told him everything” Chloe confessed, locking her eyes with Beca’s and seeing how shocked she seemed by it all, she shrugged and continued “I basically told him how there is someone I can’t stop loving...no matter how hard I’ve tried I just can’t. I can’t stop Beca. I’m...I'm still just so in love with you” 

 

Beca gaped at her for a few seconds more and then only managed to say “You’re serious?”

 

“Completely” Chloe nodded, stroking the brunette’s cheek with her thumb “You’re what I want, Beca. And I know you’re who I belong with I don’t think anything or anyone can change that. Only if you say you don’t feel the same anymore, if this time away has made you think otherwise-”

 

“Chloe shut up” Beca whispered heavily as she drove her lips back against hers, gripping onto her harder. Her arm wrapping around her back and pulling her closer. Beca pulled her further into the room, not letting go of her lips, this was the first real kiss she had ever had with someone she truly  _ deeply  _ loved. She never wanted it to stop. 

 

The hand that was spare went to Chloe’s cheek and she felt tears running down. Beca pulled back and looked to her “Don’t cry” 

 

“It’s happy I swear” Chloe smiled, taking hold of Beca’s hands and looking at them as the fingers threaded together. After a moment of silence, she just whispered “I’ve waited for you for so long”

 

Beca pushed her forehead against hers “Chlo. We’re done being stupid, those years we spent being too scared, those days are gone because I swear I...” she cupped the redhead’s cheeks and looked into her eyes, finally saying the four little words in a more confident manner than last time “I love you too” 

 

Chloe’s bottom lip went and wobbled again, just letting out another cry before she leaned forward again and kissed Beca hard. The way their tongues brushed together and Chloe arched to Beca’s touch, they just _fit_.  And it felt like Beca knew all the right places to put her hands, Chloe pulled away for a moment and by a mere inch as she said breathlessly as she couldn’t help but pry “Have you been with a girl before on the sly? Causing I sure as hell know it’s different when kissing a guy”

 

Beca’s expression softened, shaking her head as she put her hand on the back of Chloe’s neck “No” she whispered “No, you’re the only girl I’ve ever wanted to be with” her hand moved up from her neck and got tangled in her hair, gently taking hold as she pulled her back to her. Her grip slowly getting more firm, how have they not been doing this the whole time? 

 

Though both of them were trembling through neither of them knowing what exactly they what were leading this towards given neither of them had been with a woman before, they just went with whatever their bodies felt was right, Beca’s hand slid down to the small of her back, which made Chloe shudder and her breath hitch against the brunette’s lips. 

 

Chloe’s hands rested on the back of Beca’s neck as the kiss grew deeper and hotter. Beca didn’t even register at first when her hands unbuttoned Chloe’s coat and slid it off her shoulder and down her arms, her hands then slipping under her shirt and resting on her bare waist. Chloe pulled back, blue eyes locking to blue eyes. They stood and looked to each other in silence for a moment, catching their breaths. 

 

“Can we talk?” Chloe whispered, lacing her fingers with Beca’s before looking back into her eyes. Beca smiled to her, nodding “Yeah” 

 

Taking it more slow was probably best, they both silently agreed on that. Going to the other end of her suite, they sat down on the coach. Chloe rested her head in her hand as she propped herself up on her elbow “I hated the way we ended things back in New York”

 

“Yeah” Beca cleared her throat “Of all the ways I imagined me telling you that I loved you, that was definitely one I didn’t imagine”

 

“I’m sorry that I...that I kind of didn’t give any kind of response to that. I was just shocked I guess. And I suddenly felt paralyzed because Chicago was right there and I felt guilty because I…” she trailed off as her eyes caught onto Beca again, seeing her and her small smile that was on her lips, Chloe rolled her eyes as she suddenly got a little embarrassed “I knew that I still felt all those things for you”

 

Beca just nodded, then running her fingers through her hair and admitting “I hated the way it was the other day too. I felt even worse coming here without saying a word”

 

“Yeah” Chloe muttered with a nod “That hurt”

 

“I’m sorry. I really am I just didn’t know how to handle it, I  _ couldn’t  _ handle it after everything that was said, and knowing that I was only going to be here for a few days made it easier so I did what I usually do and just run”

 

“You haven’t been that way for years, Bec”

 

“Cause nothing that awful has happened to me in the past few years” Beca sunk down into the couch and sighed “I guess I ran because in that moment it was like every worst possible outcome I feared in telling you the truth happened that night, I felt like I screwed it up. Not just you and me as something more but just you and me as friends” 

 

Chloe frowned “Beca no matter what, I’d always have been your friend. But now? I really don’t want that” she shrugged “I mean I never have deep down” 

 

Her hand gently rested on Beca’s leg, which sent shivers all up Beca’s body. It wasn’t as if Chloe had never put her hand on her leg before, but now it certainly had more meaning. Beca gave her a tight smile “Me too” 

 

She leaned back up and scooted more towards the redhead, tucking her hair behind her ear as she mumbled “So how did  _ Soldier Ken _ take it?”

 

“Stop that” Chloe laughed breathlessly, then clearing her throat and answering her “He actually was really, _supportive_ I guess is the word? He also had a feeling about it when I admitted everything to him”

 

“Apparently we’ve given off a vibe these past few years” Beca laughed “Cept we didn’t catch on”

 

“I always felt it, I just hoped it was what I thought it was”

 

Beca smiled and slowly nodded, leaning back to her and saying in a low voice “It was” 

 

Their lips caught again, Beca put her hand onto her cheek and pulled her close further, Chloe couldn’t help but comment between the kiss in a heavy whisper “I love kissing you”

 

Beca smirked against her lips and wrapped her arm around her neck, pulling her down on the coach and lay underneath her, their legs tangling together as Beca’s fingers sunk into Chloe’s hair. Feeling the redheads hand grip onto her thigh from with her lips moving from Beca’s mouth to her jaw and down to her neck. Part of her still felt like she was dreaming, that this was a fantasy of hers that was playing out in her subconscious, it wouldn’t be the first time. Yet no, this was real as it got. 

 

Chloe pushed and rolled her hips against Beca’s which surprised her but also very much agreed with her. Beca hummed before pulling back to ask “You sure  _ you’ve  _ not been with another woman before?”

 

The redhead laughed breathlessly and shook her head “No, I’ve just seen some...reading”

 

Beca smirked “Seen some reading?” 

 

“Yes” Chloe gently chuckled, to which Beca gave out the same response and just nodded to go along with it, whispering as she leaned up to her again “I’ve seen some reading too” 

 

Chloe’s smile lasted even when their lips made contact with each other again, she lowered herself from pressing up on her hands and rested her body now fully against Beca’s, gripping onto the brunette’s thigh as she ran her tongue from her bottom lip into her mouth. Beca’s hands rested at Chloe’s jaw, her fingers curling into her hair as she deepened the kiss even more, their tongues brushing against each other as she felt Chloe’s hand grip onto her harder.

 

“Not to put a stop on things” Beca breathed, kissing her again “But this whole thing on the couch feels pretty colleg _ ey _ ”

 

“I wish we did do this in college” Chloe whined, pressing her face in Beca’s neck and pressed her lips against her skin. Beca rolled her eyes “I get it, I was an ass” 

 

“No” Chloe lifted her head back up and shook it as she gazed into the blue eyes looking back at her, a gentle look on her face “I never thought that”

 

“No?”

 

Chloe just shook her head again “At least you were worth the wait”

 

If Jesse had said something like that to her, she would have rolled her eyes and called him a  _ weirdo  _ or said he was so cheesy. But with Chloe, her heart flipped and her whole body felt numb in every good way possible. Her eyes opened after she felt Chloe’s lips retract from her skin and then her body rising up from against hers. 

 

Chloe stood and held her hand out, raising her brows “If the couch isn’t suiting you”

 

Beca swallowed thickly, how is Chloe so calm and collected? Little did she know though the redhead was screaming on the inside and had no idea what she was doing, she was just going with her gut. Beca sat up and put her hand into hers, getting up from the couch and they walked over to the bed. 

 

Sitting on the foot of it and for a moment, it went silent and unintentionally awkward. They were on a bit of a roll before cause they weren’t letting themselves overthink in what it is that they should be doing. Beca tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she cleared her throat, then taking her eyes back to Chloe’s. She soon got lost in them, Beca hesitated at first but put her hand on her cheek. She bit her lip but then whispered “Have I ever told you that you’re like, insanely beautiful”

 

Chloe laughed nervously as red flushed to her cheeks “Yeah...but it has a whole different meaning now” she looked to Beca for a few seconds more and whispered as she leaned forward ever so slightly “Kiss me”

 

Beca leaned forward and kissed her gently, the pair of them taking in a breath as they took hold of each other again, quickly sinking into the control they had before. Beca rolled on top of Chloe, her hand slipped under her shirt and gripping onto her bare waist. Her body resting down on hers, remembering what Chloe did to her before and decided to try it for herself, she rolled her hips against Chloe’s and heard how she got the same response to the one that Beca gave out. 

 

Things didn’t really go any further than that. This being new to them both in the aspect of being with another woman but also being with each other in a way that was more than friends, they saw it as best to take things slow and try to work on it together. There was always plenty of time for more. They didn’t want to rush into anything, they wanted to be as slow as possible in fact so the moments would last longer. All that really mattered right now is that they had took this step, a step they never thought that would ever happen. 

 

They lay on the bed and just talked some more, at first it was more heavy stuff. About how they had been in what felt like physical pain the past few years that they kept their feelings secret. 

 

"I saw you kissing him and I was just-" Beca shook her head and looked down to the mattress for a moment before whispering "I was completely paralysed. I realised the mess I had made before anything even happened which is why..."

 

"Which is why you kept quiet?" Chloe said gently, her hand just resting on Beca's waist, the brunette then just looked to her and gave her a small smile "You mean like you did when it was me and Jesse" 

 

Chloe just bit her lip and sighed. Though knowing Beca did have a point, she rested her hand onto Chloe's and gripped to it "I get how you felt now. I really understand-at first when Amy told me that you felt the same all the years I didn't know what to think, a part of me wanted to be pissed but I got it before any of that happened because I was then doing the same for you"

 

"It was a way of protecting yourself too from the risk of getting even more hurt" Chloe stated in a gentle voice before shrugging her shoulders and giving Beca the same soft smile back "You don't have to try and justify anything. You know that I understand...we've been on the same page for years...we've just finally acknowledged it to each other"

 

"I'm glad we have" Beca hummed as her smile turned to a delicate grin, to which Chloe then mirrored. The conversation then casually went onto more lighter things, on how they were going to have to tell the girls and they were all going to go crazy and probably owe each other money for the bets they’ve had settled for years.

 

“They’ll probably just be pissed they missed us kissing in front of them” Beca muttered, looking down at her hand that was resting over Chloe’s. She then heard this noise come from the redhead, a quiet high pitched hum that told her there was something she knew that Beca didn’t but she didn’t quite know what that was. 

 

“What?”

 

“What?” Chloe shrugged innocently to which Beca squinted her eyes at “Am I missing something?”

 

Chloe the let out a light hearted sigh and began to blush, looking away and shaking her head “I never thought I’d ever make you aware of this but...we’ve kind of kissed before”

 

Beca’s head snapped up to her from looking down at their hands, her heart racing more than it even was before. No. They couldn’t have. Beca highly doubted she would forget ever kissing Chloe given it was something she had dreamed about for many years “You’re joking” 

 

“You’d think”

 

“And where the hell was I in all of this?” Beca laughed “Cause I’m pretty sure I’d remember kissing you...you do…” her eyes glanced to her lips “Make an impact” 

 

Chloe laughed breathlessly, gently biting down on her lip before she then went on to explain her statement “Remember that time you and Jesse had a big fight and broke up for like a day?”

 

Beca bobbed her head, remembering it straight away. That was the only time they had gone on any kind of break/break up other than their final one “Yeah. So?”

 

“Well, you got pretty drunk. Very in fact”

 

“I remember that too”

 

“The reason I love drunk you is because of how mushy you get but that night I learnt how...affectionate you could be” she watched as Beca’s jaw slowly dropped and she giggled “You came over to me in your drunken state, starting stroking my face and then kissed me”

 

Beca blurted out a shocked laugh “Seriously? We kissed that night?”

 

“Technically we made out, then you were so wasted that I took you to bed”

 

“As in-”

 

Chloe held her finger up to her, pressing it against Beca’s mouth at her teasing and shook her head “As in I tucked you up in your own bed and left you to sleep, god Mitchell. I have some morals” 

 

Beca just chuckled and slapped her finger away, then she remembered more of the next morning “Hang on. Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Well I went downstairs the next morning to talk to you about it. What it meant and all that but once I came down I saw that you and Jesse had pretty much made up and I figured that’s what you wanted”

 

“But I remember asking you if I did anything stupid that night”

 

Chloe nodded, her tone dropping to being more serious as well as still being gentle “Yeah. I know...but like I said I figured bringing it up would be pointless cause in my eyes you wanted Jesse and to me it wasn’t stupid”

 

Her heart then melted, slowly she nodded “Yeah. Believe me, it wouldn't have been stupid to me either. Kind of feel like an ass that I don’t remember it”

 

“I’m just glad I do” 

 

“You’re sweet though” Beca soothed, returning her hand to Chloe’s “But we would’ve saved ourselves a lot of wasted years if you told me, or again if I remembered”

 

“Are you saying you would have  _ chose  _ me if you knew?” 

 

“Without question” Beca replied quickly “Like I’ve said before, you’re all I’ve ever really wanted. If I knew then what I know now then I would never have even thought twice about being with you like this” 

 

Chloe’s eyes glazed over again, her bottom lip beginning to wobble. She leaned her head to Beca’s again and whispered “Oh, Bec”

 

Beca leaned back against the mattress as Chloe's body came onto hers, Beca ran her fingers through and locked into Chloe’s hair. She felt Chloe grip hard onto her waist as her tongue dominated over hers once Beca granted her access. Her hand rested at the small of Chloe’s back. 

 

Their legs became tangled with each other once again, Chloe’s right resting firmly between Beca’s. Chloe’s nails dug into Beca’s side which actually sounded to agree with her. Chloe may say that she was new to the whole girl on girl thing which Beca did know was true, but when it came to kissing? Holy shit. She really  _ really  _ knew what she was doing. No matter how wasted Beca was that night, she can’t believe that she didn’t remember it. The way it made her entire body feel. 

 

“God you make me feel…” Beca whispered breathlessly with her mouth still touching Chloe’s, she then smirked as she felt Chloe then do the same and shook her head “You already know” 

 

“Tell me” Chloe gently ordered, gripping onto the back of Beca’s hair. Beca looked into her eyes and whispered “ _ Alive _ ”

 

Chloe’s smirk turned into a grin, letting out a satisfied sigh as she pulled Beca’s lips to hers again and held onto her even tighter. Beca rested her hand on Chloe’s cheek and pulled back from her, resting beside her body “So  _ now  _ I want to ask you something else?”

 

“Should I be scared?”

 

“Maybe-I am asking you to go out on a date with me”

 

“What?” Chloe squealed, gripping onto Beca’s waist and pulling her close again. Beca gently laughed and shrugged “Well I know we’ve just technically fooled around enough times right now for it to be a third date-”

 

“And we’re living together already”

 

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t go out for dinner together with a label on it. I’ve been wanting to take you out on a date for years now, Chlo. As cheesy as that may sound it’s the only time I’ve got butterflies on the thought of a date”

 

“You’re so cute” Chloe whispered, brushing her lips against Beca’s for a moment. 

 

“Is that a yes?”

 

“That’s a hell yes” Chloe proclaimed, burying her face into Beca’s neck and pressed her lips against her skin, causing Beca’s breath to once again get caught in her throat, Chloe looked back up to her “Guess I should be glad the flights for here got delayed until this morning, now I have a weeks worth of clothes with me”

 

“I see that” Beca laughed as she glanced over to the small case“I see you were expecting things to work out?”

 

“I hoped it did” Chloe hummed, Beca looked to her “Well. You’ve always had good instincts...but I have to say, flying across the country to come and see me. Pretty romantic”

 

“Well I’ve always been romantic too. Unlike you”

 

“What’re you talking about! Just wait, Red”

 

Chloe grinned and let out another excited noise as she put her hand on Beca’s cheek and kissed her again. She never wanted to stop kissing her, Beca didn’t either. It was so surreal that this was happening that they felt like they could kiss each other for hours on end until they woke up from what felt like a dream. But no, it was very much real. They were now very much real. Together. 

 

“What were your plans for today before I showed up?” Chloe asked as she played with the bottom of Beca’s t-shirt. 

 

“I was going to just” she shrugged “Get out, see as much of the city as I can before tomorrow”

 

“Mind if I join?” Chloe smirked before gently biting down on her lip. Beca hummed and gazed at her fondly “Not at all. Besides, we’ve been talking about taking a trip together”

 

Chloe then lifted her head up at the realisation “Oh my god! Yeah!”

 

“LA was always on the cards so here we are”

 

“Little different than we imagined”

 

Beca nodded, running her fingers down Chloe’s arm “Yeah. But I like this version better”

 

“Me too” the redhead gleamed. Beca leaned down and rested her mouth against Chloe’s shoulder, then looking up to her and smiled against her skin. She was still trying to let this all sink in, that she was now in this situation when last night she felt lower than she ever had before. Chloe looked to her with the same old soft expression on her face which has always made Beca’s stomach flip “What’re you thinking?”

 

Beca lifted her head and laid her chin against her arm, shrugging and letting out a laugh “I don’t even know...my head's just a little fuzzy. There’s something i know that I’m always thinking about though”

 

“Yeah?” Chloe sunk her fingers into Beca’s hair even more “What’s that”

 

“You”

 

Chloe latched her eyes back onto Beca’s and let out a light breath through her nose, slowly shaking her head “God, who knew you were this soft”

 

“You damn well know you bring it out in me. How many times have I wept in front of you?” Beca stated as she sat up. 

 

“Many times. You’re a secret crier”

 

“I love confiding in you and only you, sue me” 

 

“Believe me that’s the best feeling in the world” Chloe stated, sitting up behind Beca and pressing her lips against her shoulder. Her fingers tracing gently over her tattoo, whispering as if to herself “I’ve always loved this…”

 

Beca smiled before turning her head to Chloe and brushing her forehead against her temple before she looked down at the watch “What do you say, Chlo? Should we go start our little LA run around?” 

 

“Yes” 

 

Beca then felt Chloe’s arms wrap around her again from behind, her head nudging it’s way into the crook of Beca’s neck “In ten minutes. I’m still not ready to walk out of this moment”

 

Beca grinned and closed her eyes as she was then pulled back down on the bed and the pair giggled before returning their lips to one another. Beca didn’t even think she and Chloe would be talking come next week, she certainly never imagined that Chloe would travel across country to profess her eternal love for her. She thought that dream was long gone.

 

But here they were, lying together, in the way both of them had dreamed of for what felt like the longest six years.

* * *

**well I hope this was worth all the 12 chapters on angst, and it's actually just getting started.**

 


	14. Chapter 14

None of it had sunk in for either of them, not even the walk from the hotel room down to the lobby which they did hand in hand made it more real. Chloe was pretty surprised by how Beca laced her fingers with hers once they stepped outside, not that she thought Beca would be embarrassed or nervous in holding a girl’s hand, but more that when she watched her with Jesse, they never did anything really coupley like hold hands. 

 

“I thought things like hand holding wasn’t  _ your  _ thing”

 

Beca looked down to their conjoined hands and shrugged as she looked back down the street “It wasn’t with Jesse...I don’t know I guess with him it didn’t feel right” she raised her brows and shrugged “I mean, when  _ we _ would link down the street back at home. I don’t do that with just anyone y’know”

 

“Don’t you know how to make a girl feel special” 

 

Beca rolled her eyes and just tugged on Chloe’s hand to pull her closer. Walking down the streets of Downtown Los Angeles sure felt better with Chloe being by her side. They stopped by a coffee place on the way and grabbed a quick bite to eat for breakfast. The fact that Chloe was now sitting so close to her, with her leg brushing against hers and now knowing she was doing it on purpose gave her butterflies. They’ve sat closely before, their legs have brushed up together before but now everything felt different in the best possible way. All the things they did when just insisting to be ‘friends’ now all had a different meaning, and Beca loved it. 

 

“You know what I want to do?” Beca mumbled as she chewed down the final piece of food, just getting a raised brow from Chloe, she then proceeded and make more clearly “Hire a car and drive around the place”

 

“A car?”

 

“Well convertible” Beca shrugged, then smirking to her “Y’know, roof top down. Cruising around”

 

“ _ Cruising _ ?” Chloe teased. 

 

“I regret saying it but I didn’t know how else to describe it” she grumbled, then shrugging again to her with a gentle voice “But come on. It’d be fun right? Plus I’d rather get around this week by actually driving, kinda getting sick of being driven”

 

Chloe blurted a small laugh as she said “Before you got this career you got a cab and the subway every where you went”

 

“That’s different it’s public transport I paid my way-look do you like the idea or not?”

 

“Yes I do” 

 

“Good” Beca smirked, pulling out her phone and then heard the redhead say in a teasing tone “And how are you planning on paying for a roof top car for a week”

 

“I have money now, remember” Beca sat back against the booth with a smug look still on her face, raising a brow as she held opened up the browser on her phone “Got paid my first installment last week”

 

“I forgot you get paid the big bucks now” Chloe smiled, putting her hand on Beca’s knee underneath the table and whispered as she leaned forward “Superstar”

 

Beca scrunched her nose up and shook her head “I still can’t take to that”

 

“The truth?”

 

“You’ve always been known to over compliment me”

 

“Like you said before. I have good instincts” 

 

Beca smiled as she drowned in Chloe’s eyes. She wanted to kiss her so bad and she knew that now she actually could, but she was never that much of a fan seeing other people’s PDA she didn’t know if she wanted to be that kind of hypocrite. Though looking at her right now, maybe she did.

 

She put her hand on top of Chloe’s that was still on her knee and gave her a grateful squeeze. They finished up their coffee and made their way to the closest car hire which was close enough for them to feel okay about walking, on their way, Beca put through the booking on the way there and they were surprisingly swift with the whole thing. 

 

Chloe suggested for her to do the payment as a daily thing given that she may not be able to drive it everyday whilst being here because of work, but she did for the week anyway cause she then figured whilst she’s off at work, Chloe could drive around. Chloe then insisted on paying towards it but Beca refused and slapped her hand away. 

 

“It’ll be on me on the days you’ll be spending hours on your own okay? I’m paying for it” Beca stated as she spun the keys around her finger. 

 

“But I wasn’t even supposed to be here this week, I’ve made it an inconvenience”

 

Beca then stopped the two of them as they stood in front of her car, hooking her finger in the belt holder of Chloe’s jeans “You showing up and telling me that you love me is anything but an inconvenience, trust me”

 

Chloe grinned, gentle stroking Beca’s knuckled with her fingertip and just nodded. Little did Beca know Chloe had her bank details saved in her phone so she could just send the money anyway, but she’d save that for another day.

 

They turned and actually got a good look at the car. The old fashioned mustang made her feel very authentic. She’s going to be like a child with a new christmas toy Chloe could see it already, especially by the way Beca jumped over the car door and into the seat, then looking up to Chloe and shrugged “I’ve just seen that in movies and always wanted to do it” 

 

Chloe chuckled as she shook her head at her “You’re such a dork. It’s adorable” 

 

“Get in” Beca rolled her eyes as she put the keys into the ignition, Chloe quickly hurrying round the other side and getting in the passenger seat. 

 

Beca liked driving, the reason she didn't drive back in New York is because...well it’s  _ New York  _ there isn’t room for transport, not the kind she has the patience for. Getting stuck in traffic in New York was like hell, she didn't really mind being stuck in it when in a cab cause at least she can distract herself with her phone but when driving she can’t really do that. But driving in LA she knew would be better, it’s a hell of a lot more spacious and calm around there.

 

Chloe pulled out her phone and got up all the best places to go in the city. They were going full on tourist mode and they didn’t care. Chloe gently slapped Beca’s arm at one point “Hollywood walk of fame!”

 

Beca frowned and slightly cringed, she didn’t mind all the tourist thing but  _ that _ was the most cliche thing ever. Chloe gently slapped her again “Come on! It’s a must”

 

“Is it?”

 

“Becs” Chloe whined, squeezing her forearm. Beca looked to her and saw the pleading expression on her face and finally just gave in like she knew that she would. 

 

“Fine. But only because I like you” Beca then felt Chloe’s hand travel from her arm and to the back of her neck, her fingers getting tangled in the back of her hair and gently stroking her. She let out a pleasant hum as she continued to keep her eyes on the road. Chloe was always good with her hands, when they were in college and Beca would be getting stressed beyond words, Chloe would always give her a massage, whether that just be her shoulders or a full on back massage. Unfortunately that was as intimate as they got back then. 

 

The drive wasn’t too bad to get there, they parked up and started down at one end. Chloe was much more excited than Beca anticipated. Gasping and tugging on Beca’s arm as she pointed at different names. It wasn’t that it wasn’t cool because it was, it was just knowing that it was the most cheesy thing to do when coming to LA. But then again Chloe was pretty cheesy and it was one of the many things that made Beca love her. 

 

Chloe then squealed when they came to the star of the actress who was Chloe’s ultimate idol “Beca take a picture of me with it!”

 

Beca just obeyed and said as she took Chloe’s phone, informing her as the redhead settled down beside the selected star “You do know Julie Andrews isn’t actually  _ in  _ the star right?”

 

“Shut up” Chloe chortled. 

 

Beca got the camera on her and looked at her as Chloe got into a suitable pose, her hand resting comfortably on her hip as she leaned down on her hand, Beca smirked to her “Ready?”

 

“Mm-hm” she nodded, keeping the same smile on her face.

 

Beca took a few shots of her quickly and Chloe then got herself of the floor and patted herself down, as she did Beca looked through the shots and just grinned, shaking her head.

 

_ Fuck. I’m looking at her now as my girlfriend. Not as my friend anymore...that's insane _

 

Chloe came over to her and tilted the phone to her vision to have a look for herself, very pleased with the outcome “They look good”

 

“Course they do” Beca muttered, passing the phone back over to her and raising her brows as she said in a casual manner “You’re in them” 

 

Beca had a habit of saying something like that in such a cool tone that it made Chloe go all warm inside, she didn’t say it in any over enthusiastic way like guys she dated used to do in a more forceful way to be convincing. When she thought of Tom, she remembered him being completely lovely but  _ so  _ lovely that sometimes it felt too much. He tried to insist his compliments onto her, with Chicago he was more chilled but he said things to her on a more frequent basis, but with him she thinks that he was just trying to make her as aware as possible that he liked her before he left. Thinking about how she dragged him into all this complications still upset her a bit, then again it was only Friday that it happened so she cut herself some slack. 

 

But Beca had always been like this, she always gives a compliment in the moment that really shows she means it, she never throws them out at a random time where the meaning behind it feels empty and when she does compliment she never  _ insists  _ on what she says because she’s confident enough in the way she said it the first time. It’s just the way she was, and it was just that way which made Chloe always melt. Chloe slid her arm around Beca’s and briefly pressed her forehead against the brunette’s shoulder as they then went on to complete the rest of the walk before heading back to the car and going on another stop.  

* * *

 

They didn’t go to some fancy restaurant for their  _ date _ . They classed this whole day together as their date, but they did have food as every date usually has. Instead they went to a big indie food hall they found downtown. It was a wide open space that was filled with street food trucks, ones that are meant to be the best of the best in town. 

 

She remembered Theo recommending it to her when they were on the plane and she was planning her day out. She just hoped he wasn’t there or if he was, they wouldn’t run into each other. Chloe went to a Thai truck and got some Phad Thai as Beca went to a Mexican truck and got some hard shell tacos. They then found a nice little spot in the corner of the eating area and dove straight into it. 

 

“So there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask all day, ever since we...you know” Chloe moved her hand around for it to finish her sentence for her. Beca chewed down on the rest of her taco and put her knee up to her chest as she gave Chloe her undivided attention “What?”

 

“When do you think you’ll tell your parents?”

 

Beca looked at her for a moment and wiped her hands down on her leg as she cleared her throat “We’re going there?”

 

Chloe shrugged “All I mean is, you may not think about it much but you’re getting more in the public eye. If they see something with us before you tell them then...well I just know what they’re like from what you’ve told me”

 

“I stopped caring what they thought a long time ago. My mom and I don’t really talk anymore anyway and my dad won’t really know what to say” she shrugged “He’s one of those parents who insists that being gay isn’t an issue to him  _ until  _ it’s his own kid” 

 

Chloe rested her hand on top of Beca’s that was on her knee, she simply shrugged “You know my relationship with them has kind of been distant for a while”

 

She did know, all too well. Beca has grown a thick skin about it over the past year and a half, but there were various times over the past three years where she was wept openly to Chloe because she was slowly getting sick of pretending that everything was fine between her parents when it still wasn’t. She may have patched things up with her dad when going to Barden but they didn’t exactly become close, and her mom hardly spoke to her as some kind of resentment for her getting close with her dad again. It was a never ending battle that Beca wanted no part in, Chloe could remember at the times she had wiped Beca’s tears because of it. But now that she was older and had accepted it, it didn’t affect her as much.

 

“Besides, Chlo. Nothing they can say will make me feel bad about this” Beca gripped onto Chloe’s hand “Cause like I’ve said. It’s you that’s made me feel alive over these past few years...nothing they can say is going to change that. It’s not going to make me feel any different”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Beca looked at her even more lovingly “Being completely honest, Chloe, I’ve waited what feels like my entire life for you and I’ll make that very clear to them...what about you?”

 

Chloe let out a more casual shrug “I guess I’ll talk to them at some point in the week about it”

 

Chloe’s family was less complicated, she was basically raised by hippies. Very chilled out and some of the most open minded people that Chloe knows. Her mother was even the one who encouraged to experiment in college like she did. Beca had always envied that from Chloe, that she didn’t have to overthink being herself. From wanting to pursue her dreams from who she wanted to date, Chloe never had any worries with her family. They were sometimes over involved in her life but it was bearable. 

 

“What do you think they’ll say over you dating me instead of an  _ American Hero _ ?”

 

“Are you kidding? My parents loved you as soon as they met you. My mom was even pushing me on for you to be the one I had my  _ ‘erotic experience’  _ with as she put it”

 

“I wish she didn’t put it like that”

 

“Tell me about. But hey I guess good instincts run in the family” 

 

Beca smiled to her and nodded, then said as she reached for her taco “There’s another family we’re going to have to tell”

 

Chloe hummed a small laugh, bobbing her head at her words “I’m looking forward to that more” 

 

Beca finished chewing on her food “That’ll be more fun. We should think of a fun way to do it”

 

“I have an idea…” Chloe smirked, sliding even closer to Beca as she took her phone out of her back pocket, holding it up to them both with the camera on. Beca glanced at it and then back to Chloe, who bit her lip and raised her brows for a brief moment before whispering “How about it?” 

 

Beca looked down to her lips and couldn’t help but grin as her stomach began to do flips, just the fact that they could do things like this now was still incredibly surreal. Beca closed her eyes as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Chloe’s, already it felt like a drug to her. Chloe took the picture and put her phone down on the table without pulling away from Beca, her hand went to her cheek as she sunk into it further. Beca practically felt the sweet noise Chloe made project into her mouth as their tongues brushed together. 

 

_ God I want her so bad _

 

Beca’s fingers tangled in Chloe’s hair as she slowly pulled back and smiled with her eyes still closed “I’m liking this whole  _ making up for lost time  _ thing”

 

“It’s working for me too” Chloe whispered, pressing her lips against Beca’s for a quick tender moment before reaching for her phone again and looked at the picture of them. Beca tilted her head “I never thought it was possible to look  _ good  _ in a kissing photo but...we look good” 

 

“I get it, you’re hot” 

 

“We’re hot” Beca whispered into her ear and ran her finger tips down Chloe’s spine that currently had shivers shooting down it. Chloe just smirked and kept her eyes on her phone as she opened up the group chat and clicked on the photo “Caption?”

 

“Start owing each other your bets ladies” 

 

Chloe giggled, finding it perfect and typed that out before quickly pressing send. Getting an excited smile now written across her face “Now it’s official”

 

“Oh  _ now  _ we’re dating? Cause I assumed the heavy make out on my bed and you professing how much you love me takes us quite down the dating road already?” 

 

“Shut up” Chloe mumbled, slapping Beca’s thigh “You’ve been my girlfriend for a whole seven hours and you’re already being a smart ass about it all”

 

“Say that again” Beca cocked a brow as she brushed her lips against Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe then pressed her forehead against Beca’s forehead “My girlfriend” 

 

“Now  _ that’s _ a dream career” Beca mumbled as she leaned forward and kissed her again. Then liking to play the tease and pulled back before Chloe would have chosen and returned to her food. 

 

Soon enough both their phones starting going off like wildfire from the group chat. 

 

_ Stacie [5:37PM]: WHAT. THE. FUCK. AHHHHH _

 

_ Emily [5:37PM]: Is this like for real?! I was just with you guys what is happening! _

 

_ CR [5:38PM]: Holy shit god BLESS my eyes _

 

_ Aubrey [5:38PM]: Oh thank god I was running out of hope for this awH you two!!! _

 

_ Jessica [5:38PM]: IS THIS REAL LIFE RIGHT NOW? _

 

_ Flo [5:39PM]: There are not enough emoji’s in the world to express for joy  _

 

_ Ashley [5:39PM]: Not to be dramatic but this is the best day of my life _

 

_ Lily [5:39PM]: I knew it.  _

 

_ Amy [5:40PM] SoOo this is great but does this mean Chicago is single?  _

 

It was more entertaining than they thought it would be. But seeing them all lose their minds over a simple picture was fun, they had been waiting for this just as long as Beca and Chloe themselves have. Beca let out a small giggle and looked back to Chloe, finding herself gazing again. Chloe then looked at her and said gently “What is it?”

 

Beca bit her lip and took in a breath “Just...they aren’t the only ones who are so excited about this” 

 

“You’re going so soft”

 

“Don’t tell  _ anyone _ ” Beca winked as she took hold of her food again. 

* * *

 

After having their food and sharing some drinks it got a little darker. They got back in the car and Beca thought of a spot she had heard of where they could go. Chloe had no idea where they were going, it was all kept a bit of a secret. 

 

Then it became clear, Beca parked them up on a hill that overlooked the whole city, right in front of the  _ HOLLYWOOD  _ sign. It made Chloe pretty breathless “How’d you find this place?”

 

“When you go on some sites that are meant to be  _ hidden gems of LA  _ this was one of them, I screenshotted the route and took a chance of it being free. Looks like luck is on my side today”

 

Chloe grinned as she leaned forward slightly and embraced the view “It’s beautiful” she then turned to Beca and laughed at herself, shrugging “What am I looking at the view for?”

 

“Chloe please you’ve spent the last six years looking at me it must get boring”

 

Chloe shook her head, leaning more towards Beca “Never” her hand went to the back of Beca’s neck as she pulled her forward and pressed her lips against hers, opening her mouth to allow access for Beca’s tongue as the brunette leaned forward even more and gripped onto Chloe’s hip as soon as she made contact with her. 

 

Chloe held tightly onto Beca’s jacket and tugged onto it as she then pleaded in a breathless whisper “Come here”

 

Beca moved forward off her seat and straddled Chloe’s lap, never leaving her lips. She cupped Chloe’s cheeks and pressed her body harder against Chloe’s. Chloe smirked, resting her hand against Beca’s back and then teasing “So making out on a couch is too college _ -y  _ but making out in a parked car isn’t?”

 

Beca sat back ever so slightly and raised a brow “You want me to stop?”

 

Chloe quickly gripped onto her wrists and pulled her close again “No”

 

“Then shut up” Beca whispered, in a tone so low it was practically a tease within itself. Chloe smiled as their lips returned to each other. Being with Chloe had always been the most powerful thing she had ever felt, she felt it even when they were just friends. The magnetism that she had with her was always something she had felt, she never felt that with Jesse. She liked being around Jesse and they had fun together, but she was never in  _ need  _ for him. She never ached for him. But Chloe she had always ached for. 

 

And all this made her realise that she was wrong,  _ this  _ was the most powerful thing. Being with her in this way was a feeling like no other she doubted she’d ever feel anything more powerful than this by please God by all means prove her wrong. 

 

Beca’s phone began to ring and made noise even louder as it vibrated in the cup holder. Chloe kept her hand on the back of her neck “Ignore it” she kissed her again, letting out a sweet moan as Beca bit down on her lip and slowly dragged it between her teeth before she pressing her lips back on them. But the phone wouldn’t stop ringing, Beca groaned and rolled her eyes. She pulled back, but not by much “Sorry. Let me just...real quick”

 

Beca reached for the phone and answered it without even looking at the ID, she kept her eyes on Chloe, the hand that was free still resting on Chloe’s jaw “What is it?”

 

She kissed her as she heard Theo on the other side talk  _ “You okay?” _

 

“Fine” Beca skimmed her nose against the redhead’s, not being able to contain her smile “I’m good, what’s up?”

 

_ “Just checking to see you’re okay with getting to the studio tomorrow at about ten?”  _

 

Beca closed her eyes as Chloe pressed her lips against her neck, Beca ran her fingers through the back of her hair and gripped onto her, trying not to let out any noise at how good it made her feel “Uh yeah yeah”

 

_ “You sure you’re okay?” _

 

“Yes” Beca mumbled as she ducked her head down and pressed her lips against the top of Chloe’s ear, just kissing her in any place she could whilst the red head still worked on her neck  _ “Cause if this is about last night-” _

 

“Theo I’m seriously more than fine, I’ll see you tomorrow” she hung up before he got a word in, she does that a lot, especially with guys. Beca put her lips back to Chloe’s for hot and heavy kiss. Chloe then pulled back by barely an inch and couldn’t help but ask “What happened last night?”

 

Beca sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat back once again. Gently rubbing Chloe’s arms as the red head rested her hand down on her thighs “He made a pass at me last night”

 

The jealousy ran up Chloe’s body like a hot flame, she couldn’t help it but as soon as the image came into her mind she felt it. Call her a hypocrite but it she really couldn’t control it “He what?”

 

Beca took another breath and shrugged once again “We went to grab a bite to eat after getting in the hotel, I was moping because everything that happened and when I gave him a little bit of honesty for like a second he kissed me”

 

“So you actually kissed?”

 

She soon shook her head “Not like that, believe me I shoved him back a split second after he leaned in...then I told him I was in love with you so it pretty much made things clear to him” she gently laughed at the latter “I’m sure he’s got the message loud and clear”

 

“You really did that? You told him you’re in love with me”

 

“Yeah cause I am” Beca rested her hands at Chloe’s jaw, shrugging her shoulders “And after I told you, I stopped giving a shit on who knows it”

 

“Pretty romantic” 

 

“Yeah that’s me” she joked in a deadpanned voice that made Chloe burst out into a small fit of giggles, shaking her head at her and saying in a still laugh as her hand returned to the back of her neck “I am  _ so _ in love with you too”

 

Beca let out a breathless laugh as she pressed her lips hard back against Chloe’s. Anyone within a five mile radius would be able to feel the heat burning off the two of them, they had wanted each other for so long but no it was even more so. Beca had never wanted anyone so badly in her life, as she was sat here on her lap and brushing her tongue against hers as well as their bodies being as pressed together as humanly possible, it was very much burning up inside of her. 

 

But they couldn’t. Not here anyway. Beca certainly didn’t want their first time to be  _ together  _ in the back of a hired car. A very nice hired car but it was still not somewhere suitable all the same. Not only that, but they were still figuring this whole thing out together. They knew each other better than they knew themselves at times but they were still studying their bodies in this way. Knowing what makes each other tick and what works. There was no need to rush into falling into bed and stumbling through it. The thought of it made her nervous, even if it didn’t show. But she wasn’t alone in that one. They've only just allowed themselves to love each other, that would always be enough. 

 

Beca ran her hands down Chloe’s arms and held onto her hands that were resting under the top of her thighs, slowly pulling away after the long hot kiss “You’re going to make it so hard for me to get out of bed tomorrow morning”

 

“I used to do that before all this anyway” Chloe smirked, pressing her lips against Beca’s collarbone and the brunette hummed a laugh “Point” 

 

“The way you would hold me, I woke up nearly every morning have to your arms around me” Chloe remembered fondly, then laughing again “And you would make the same excuse everytime that you move around in your sleep and don’t even notice that you do it”

 

“Had to come up with something” 

 

“No...you really didn’t. Cause I used to try and stay completely still every morning so I didn’t risk waking you up and moving away”

 

“Good. Cause I was at my happiest when I got to do that”

 

Chloe grinned, surprisinging herself as she even blushed “Well, now you can do it every morning. And no longer have to make up a bad excuse”

 

“I look forward to it” Beca smirked, glancing from her eyes to her lips and back to her eyes again, she looked over Chloe’s shoulder and saw headlights down the path that was leading up. It seemed someone was looking at coming to get this spot now, Beca looked to her “How does it sound going back and doing that?” 

 

“Little bit like heaven”

 

“Don’t think me and heaven have ever been used in the same scenario” Beca laughed.

 

“For me it has” Chloe simpered.

 

“I may be getting softer but you’re sure as hell getting cheesier” Beca muttered, then growing a wider smile to her “But I love it sue me” she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Chloe’s forehead before she slid off of her lap to Chloe’s dismay and sat herself back in the drivers seat.

 

They took another moment to just look at the city all lit up, considering they came up here to kind of enjoy the view as well as each other, they didn’t take in the first part enough. As the other car came closer, Beca pulled out of the spot and let them go in. A young couple who they knew had the same motives that they had. 

 

“It's weird how this spot is literally just people rotating shifts for a heavy make out session” Beca stated as she got the car on the right direction and started to drive back down. 

 

“As long as we book ourselves in again before we leave i have no issues with it” Chloe said dryly. 

 

Beca just glanced a look at her a smirked as she continued to drive back to the hotel. Getting back to the room and doing exactly what they intended to do, they got changed, got in bed and held each other until they fell asleep. 

 

This time Beca did go bed thinking about Chloe again, but it was no longer how much she needed her. It was now how much she couldn’t believe that after everything they had gone through from knowing each other, they’ve finally made it to this point when after Friday especially she had lost nearly all hope in having this. She was still waiting to be woken up from all of this, but it was very much real.

* * *

 

**Safe to say it's going to be a very soft scenerio from here on out**


	15. Chapter 15

**note:** sorry it's been longer than usual for an update, had a lot of personal stuff to deal with/still dealing but I hope this makes it worth the wait. 

* * *

 

Chloe tried to keep herself occupied whilst Beca went off to the studio but it was hard. Harder than usual, now she and Beca had finally started everything up she wanted to spend even more time than usual with her. Come dinner time she really couldn’t take it anymore, she drove to Arby’s and grabbed Beca something to eat as well as herself and drove to the studio. 

 

She wanted to keep an element of surprise but she figured she’d have to tell Beca she was there given that she wouldn’t be able to get past reception without authorisation. So she lost the surprise and texted Beca telling her she was downstairs and for her to come and get her. Beca came down and set her sights on her, a surprised and a very pleasant grin written across her face as she came over “You didn’t have to bring me lunch” she scanned her card and let Chloe in. 

 

“I know but being in a city I hardly know... it’s hard to keep myself occupied without the risk of getting lost...plus I don’t really want to make memories in this city without you being with me” she raised her brows as she stepped in “If this is our trip and all”

 

“Yeah our great trip including me working” 

 

“I’d like to see what you’re working on anyway”

 

“I’m trying to talk them out of using my voice” 

 

Chloe looked to her “What do you mean?”

 

“For the demo that I sent to Khaled I sang it just as a tester thing I wasn’t actually looking at releasing it for myself it was more to see what they thought but now they’re wanting to put it forward as my own single”

 

“Becs that’s amazing!”

 

Beca sighed and shrugged “I guess, I mean sure it’s flattering...but…”

 

“But?”

 

Beca stopped in her treks which caused Chloe to stop to and face her, Beca shrugged once again and then said “I still don’t know if singing is something I want to do as a career. It’s like I’ve always said, singing was always more something I did for fun”

 

“Wouldn’t it be great doing what you do for fun and getting paid for it?”

 

Beca scratched her forehead, taking another breath as the conflict built back up in her head. Chloe then took her hand away and laced her fingers with hers, taking a step closer “Look if you still don’t feel comfortable in doing it then just say no for this track. Then you might find that you’ll want to start doing it later on”

 

“That’s the most sense anyone has made to me in the past three hours” Beca said with a self pitied laugh, she looked back to Chloe before glancing to the bag “Did you get my favourite?”

 

“Who are you talking to?”

 

Beca scrunched her nose to her as she gently gripped onto her chin “You’re the best” she leaned forward and stopped for a moment, not out of hesitation or fear that someone was looking, but just because she had to remind herself that  _ yes  _ she can do this now and thus leading her to break out into a smile before continuing to lean forward and laid a tender kiss on Chloe’s lips for a mere few seconds which just made them both want more. 

 

“Come on, I’ll take you up so I can play you the track and you can tell me what you think” 

 

With their hands still very much linked together, Beca guided her to the elevator that took them high up the building and as soon as they stepped out into the hall they saw at the very end DJ Khaled in the studio with Theo. 

 

Beca had told Theo about her and Chloe when they met up in the lobby of the hotel in the morning, and he was genuinely happy for her. He was just glad that what he did on Friday didn’t make Beca feel uncomfortable, in fact he had never been so glad to see his kiss be so unaffective in his whole life. It was really as if it never happened. 

 

“Hey. Khaled, Theo. You remember Chloe” 

 

Chloe was still pretty starstruck in front of Khaled. Beca had now been gotten pretty much used to it, she still had to pinch herself every day that she was working with him but she no longer stumbled with her words. 

 

Theo gave her a small, awkward wave from not being quite sure how Chloe felt about him in this moment in time but as always she was perfectly lovely. Khaled reached and held her hands and gave them both a gentle shake “A pleasure to see you again” 

 

“You too” Chloe said sweetly.

 

Beca warned her that Khaled always made no sense and always said things with great intensity. Beca walked over to the desk at the end of the room and began to take out the food. The smell of the brisket hitting her right in the face much to her great delight. 

 

“Khaled, play the track for me. I want Chloe to hear it” 

 

Beca handed Chloe her turkey sandwich and they stood in the middle of the room as Khaled bowed his head to her command and played the track. Beca stood and watched Chloe with sheer anticipation, she watched as Chloe took in the song for all it’s glory. Chloe had serious good taste in music. She could spot a hit from a piece of crap pretty quickly, she and Beca were similar in that sense, Beca just knew how to  _ make  _ a hit. And this was going to be one. 

 

Chloe looked to her and didn’t give Beca the chance to read what she was saying, Beca watched as Chloe put her sandwich back in the brown paper bag and she walked over to her. Putting her hands on her hips, Chloe said quietly “Becs it’s  _ really  _ good”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. What you’ve managed to make with Em’s lyrics...” Chloe started, rather astonished, she glanced to the speaker and then looked back her “It’s better than flashlight even” 

 

“Wow” 

 

“I’m serious” 

 

Beca nodded, looking and reading Chloe’s expression some more “You think I should put it forward as my own single”

 

“I didn’t say that”

 

“I know you’re thinking it”

 

Chloe rolled her eyes and tugged on Beca’s jeans to keep the brunette’s attention on hers “You can’t blame, I love your voice. Your voice is one of the most stunning things I’ve ever heard. It was your voice that made me jump into a shower with you” 

 

Beca snorted a small laugh and then glanced to Khaled and Theo who she forgot was in the room and clearly Chloe did too. Khaled’s brows just went up and Theo cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck. Beca looked back to Chloe when she got another tug on her jeans as she said gently “But like I said, ultimately it’s your decision” 

 

“It’s just...there’s loads of artists out there who would  _ kill  _ with this song. What if I put it out and it gets shit?”

 

Chloe frowned and her quiet voice then just turned to a whisper “You need to have more confidence in what you can do. Believe me, the beats, lyrics  _ and  _ your voice will not get shit. I’d tell you if i thought any different and you know that”

 

Beca pressed her lips together as she just nodded to her and said in a mumble “I know” 

 

“If you want to run with the way it is then do it. If not then that’s fine too. Like I said before it’s your choice, baby”

 

Beca slowly bobbed her head and then squinted at her “Did you just slide  _ baby  _ in to try and see how I’d feel about it”

 

Chloe frowned “I thought I was being subtle?”

 

Beca shrugged and muttered “You were alright”

 

Chloe bit her lip and raised a brow “And?”

 

Beca remained silent for a moment and then smirked, leaning forward as she went to walk away and kept her voice in a low tone “I liked it” she walked over to Khaled and Theo who turned back to her and both looked at her with anticipation. 

 

Beca put her hands on her hips as she listened to it and then heard Chloe say “Oh Becs you want to release it, if you didn’t then you would have said without hesitation” 

 

Beca just kept her eyes forward and bit her lip, damn Chloe. She knew her too well. She knew that Khaled and Theo wanted her to release it as her own, they had enough faith that it would do well and they were professionals. But hearing it from Chloe is what made her feel better.

 

Theo just shrugged his shoulders at her in connection to Chloe’s words “Well?”

 

Beca gripped to the back of the neck and closed her eyes “Fine. Yes. Go for it”

 

Khaled clapped his hands together so loud that Beca almost jumped right out of her skin “Yes! This is what I said with you reaching the  _ top _ !”

 

“I’m making one thing clear here. I am not going to become a full time singer okay? I’m a producer first and foremost the only reason I’m agreeing to this is because the song has kind of been sentimental to me for personal reasons and stuff”

 

_ Fortunately I am no longer in that state in hating my soul for not being with someone who I love. Ha.  _

 

“And they’re the best kind!” Khaled states firmly  “Beca take it from me, I’m a producer  _ and  _ I am involved in the songs I produce. Not all the time but on the ones that count”

 

She pointed to him “That is the most sense you’ve ever made” her eyes went back and forth between the two of them, she motioned her hand to the song file on the laptop “Put it through before I change my mind” 

 

They both nodded with now excited expressions on their faces. They had been wanting and hoping for her to put this through with her own stamp on it singing wise. They knew that Beca wouldn’t make a habit out of it, but the first one always felt like a first baby to producers and it could be hard finding a voice that fit. Beca had good instincts with music and deep down she knew it fit, if she could cover George Michael and get good feedback from it then she should be okay with her own original music that hasn’t been heard before. 

 

She walked back over to the table and grabbed iced tea that Chloe had gotten for her, Chloe then standing in front of her, leaning her hand down against the table and saying with a smile written across her face “I’m so proud of you. You’re going to dominate”

 

“I better” Beca vowed “Else it’ll be you who’s paying for it”

 

“I’ll happy take that risk” Chloe chirped as she tiled the drink in Beca’s hand towards her and taking a sip whilst keeping her eyes on Beca, feeling rather smug since she knew if anyone else tried this, they would get a smack on the head. 

 

_ I’ve been whipped by this woman since I was 19. I have no defense.   _

 

Beca gave her a nudge as she grabbed the food “Come on. We can go eat this on the rooftop, the view from here is the shit”

 

“Okay” Chloe laughed breathlessly as she went to follow the brunette out. Before she did however, she stopped in front of Theo and looked to him “Beca did tell me about the kiss”

 

She watched as the Brit swallowed heavily due to sheer nerves, trying to let the tension die down with a small hitch of a laugh as he was stuck on what to say. Chloe just nodded to him “She told me it was crossed wires”

 

“Yeah big time”

 

“Which I get...but um, you ever try it again. If you  _ ever _ try to kiss or make some kind of move on her  _ especially _ when she’s in a fragile state then I will personally put you in a box and ship you back to England. Clear?” 

 

She could practically see the fear strike into his eyes and she felt pretty good about herself that she had inflicted it. He just nodded and said after clearing his throat “Crystal”

 

Chloe just nodded, her expression going more warm as she turned away and caught up with Beca.

 

* * *

 

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous. Chloe didn’t even know that she was doing this, but she felt like she had to. Chloe had left about an hour ago after spending the majority of the day with her in the studio, Beca was almost finishing up and was going to meet her back at the hotel before they’d go out for a walk on the beach. She sat there in front of her laptop, rubbing her palms together as she waited and waited. There was no guarantee he’d pick up, but it did say that he was online. 

 

Soon enough the screen cleared for a moment only to show his face now on screen, seeing his surprise hit within a second of looking into the camera.

 

_ “Beca” _

 

Beca gave him a tight smile and nodded “Yeah. I guess you were expecting Chloe given it’s her account”

 

_ “Yeah a little”  _ he said with a light and nervous laugh, clearing his throat as he shifted in his seat  _ “How are you? How’s everything?” _

 

“Good it’s good”

 

She watched as his expression softened, he could clearly see how awkward she felt as she built herself up to tell him about her and Chloe  _ “Beca I know you and Chloe have made a go at things. I follow her on social media remember, when I saw her story on instagram with you in it I figured it out, y’know given I knew the situation before I left” _

 

Beca let out a breathless smile and slowly bobbed her head “Right. Should’ve thought about that”

 

_ “I’m happy for you guys” _

 

Beca looked back to the screen and just stared for a moment, then raising her brows “Seriously?”

 

_ “Yeah seriously” _

 

“Cause I was calling you now to kind of apologise”

 

_ “Apologise?” _

 

Beca shrugged her shoulders “Yeah I mean. I’m not saying Chloe and I have done anything wrong but...I feel pretty bad knowing that it was kind of my fault that your feelings and stuff was dragged into it” she shook her head “I regret not being up front because it ultimately hurt Chloe’s feelings for all those years but I realised that it also hurt yours in the end”

 

He smiled. Which was something she wasn’t expecting, it was a gentle and completely genuine smile, it was then him who shook his head  _ “Beca I considered all the angles...and I get how it must’ve been hard for you to keep quiet. The fact that you were willing to-I don’t know sacrifice, if that’s the word, everything you felt for Chloe just so she could be happy...I mean you kept quiet in consideration to what Chloe wanted, or what we all thought she wanted” _

 

Beca shrugged “Yeah well she did the same for me a few years ago. We just kind of went round in circles”

 

_ “Well still it takes a brave person to do that. And I know that you were doing it for her but still…thank you” _

 

“Thank you?” Beca raised a brow to him.

 

_ “Yeah. Even though it didn’t work out the way I hoped with me and Chloe, I guess I’m still grateful to you for what you did, cause it gave me the chance to have a real relationship even if it was for a little while and was half hearted on her side. It was still very real to me and I haven’t had that in a while” _

 

He really was a great guy, Beca had known that from the beginning but even after all of this shit he still remained completely kind and understanding “Chloe was right. You really are a good guy, the way you reacted to when Chloe told you I’m just glad you didn’t give her a hard time”

 

Chicago shrugged  _ “Why would I? She can’t help how she feels” _

 

“Yeah. You’re just handling it well. I was scared you’d think _ I stole your girl _ or some macho bullshit like that”

 

He chuckled and shook his head as he once again shrugged his shoulders  _ “Naw, I think in the grand scheme of things it was that I unintentionally stole yours...then again I think she was always yours” _

 

Beca suddenly got heavy flips in her stomach at the words, trying not to smile in front of him about it she didn’t want him to think she came on here to gloat or rub it in his face “Well look I just wanted to call and say thanks for understanding and like I said I’m sorry things went shitty”

 

_ “And like I’ve said you’ve got nothing to apologise for, I  _ **_am_ ** _ happy for you guys and know you’re going to be happy together. I said to Chloe before leaving that I’ll always be a friend to her but to you too” _

 

Beca gave him a tight yet all the same grateful smile and nodded to him “Thanks, Chicago. Good luck over there”

 

_ “Good luck to you too, look forward to hearing your music” _

 

She let out an airy laugh and just nodded. Saying a brief goodbye to each other once again before hanging up. It was only a small conversation but she was glad that she did it, she felt like she needed to say something to him. She and Chloe talked about it in bed in the morning and it had been on her mind ever since, when Chloe told her how bad  _ she  _ felt and how sweet he was about it she just felt like she needed to talk to him. 

 

With that now done she felt like she could actually relax.

* * *

 

Beca got back to the hotel and they were ready to go for their work. Their fingers once again laced together as they went to leave the room and as they did Beca told her about Chicago. Which delayed them leaving slightly, Beca didn’t keep the conversation she had with Chicago a secret, she told Chloe what was said. 

 

“You were right he is a good guy. It’s blood boiling”

 

Chloe blurted a small laugh “Becs I’m with you now, you don’t have to hate him anymore”

 

Beca smirked and rolled her eyes “I know. I don’t really hate him”

 

Chloe tugged on her arm and pulled her closer, pressing her lips against her cheek “ _ I know _ ...cause you’re soft” 

 

Beca pushed her away whilst still holding onto her hand “Shut up” 

 

Chloe just kept her eyes on her, long enough for Beca to turn her head to her and shrug “What?”

 

The redhead then just stopped them both just as they stepped out into the hallway, putting her arms around Beca’s neck and keeping her as close as she could. Pressing her forehead against hers she took in a breath before saying in a quiet voice “We’ve only been together for a day...but it feels like forever to me”

 

Beca bumped her nose against Chloe’s as she gently stroked the small of her back with her fingertips, something that made Chloe’s breath get caught in her throat. Beca kept her dark eyes on Chloe and suggested “Probably because we’ve been acting like a couple for years now before actually becoming one. That’s what everyone seems to think anyway”

 

“Yeah well, they all love to be right”

 

“In this case I love it when they’re right too” Beca purred, her hands resting firmly on Chloe’s hips as she leaned forward and pressed her lips onto hers. Chloe then letting out a purr of her own at the touch of Beca’s mouth. Beca pressed Chloe back against the door which earned another noise come from the redhead as she put her hand on the back of Beca’s neck. 

 

Beca went weak in the knees at the feel of Chloe’s tongue brushing up against hers as well as her knee pressing between her legs. She found herself getting more and more lost for breath between their kiss, she let out a small moan against Chloe’s mouth to then confess in a heavy whisper “I want you so much” 

 

“Then take me” Chloe blurted in the same breathless voice in match to Beca’s, she saw how Beca’s expression dropped, clearly not expecting for Chloe to just come out with it, Beca went to speak before Chloe beat her to it “I’m done waiting, Becs. I’ve waited so long for you”

 

Chloe kissed her again “And I want you to have all of me just as much as I want all of you”

 

“Yeah?” Beca’s body rested harder against Chloe’s.

 

“Yeah” 

 

Beca took in a breath through her nose as she looked down to Chloe’s body for a moment and then mumbled as she looked back into her eyes “What about the beach?”

 

Chloe bit her lip as she gripped onto Beca’s jacket and shook her head as she rested her forehead back against Beca’s “It’s not going anywhere” 

 

They stopped and just stared at each other for a few long seconds, not knowing what their next move was going to be. Beca dropped a sharp heavy breath and clashed her lips back against Chloe’s for a hot and deep kiss, Chloe’s hands gripped hard onto Beca’s hip as she kept her body pressed against her, Beca dug her hand into the back pocket of her jeans and yanked out her key card whilst Chloe’s tongue quickly went back to dominating her. Beca swiped the card and pushed the door open before wrapping her arm securely around Chloe’s body as they stumbled back into the room. 

 

It was now Beca that was pressed against the door on the other side. Chloe buried her head in the crook of Beca’s neck and kissed her skin, nipping and sucking whilst Beca pressed the back of her head against the door with her eyes closed, running her fingers through the back of Chloe’s hair before gripping onto her. 

 

She pushed herself off the door and the two of them stepped further into the room. Chloe pulled Beca’s zip down from her hooded jacket and slid it down off her arms before pulling onto her t-shirt. Beca smiled to her and kissed her gently, as if to let her know she was comfortable and soon enough her put her arms above her head as Chloe pulled her shirt up and took it off her body, tossing it down on the floor. Chloe then took a moment, looking at her  _ girlfriend’s  _ body for all it’s glory. 

 

“You’re acting like you’ve not seen a lot more. Or should I say less” Beca laughed, stroking Chloe’s cheek with her thumb and kissing her softly, then whispering with their lips still lightly touching “Which I’m sure we’ll get to”

 

Chloe let out a whimper as she grasped Beca’s face, pulling back to her. They stumbled even more towards the bed. Beca unbuttoned Chloe’s blouse which led to it sliding down from her arms, she hardly even thought about it when her hand went to the back of Chloe’s bra and unclipped it, she swallowed thickly as she pulled back and looked at her. Her breath getting caught in her throat, Chloe then smirked and recited “You’re acting like you’ve not seen a lot more”

 

Beca rolled her eyes will a smirk as she looked back to Chloe, who raised her brows and finished the quote “Or should I say less”

 

“Enough with the teasing, Beale it’s just…” she skimmed the back of her hand down the side of Chloe’s bare hip, taking her eyes back to her “You’re just perfect. That’s all” 

 

Chloe let out a tearful smile, putting her hand on the Beca’s neck and whispered with a cry “I love you” 

 

Beca’s tongue trailed from Chloe’s bottom lip and into her mouth. A moan slipping out at Beca’s touch. Before she knew it her back was resting against the mattress with Beca hovering over her and stood between her legs. Beca’s fingertip ran smoothly down Chloe’s chest and to her stomach, her fingers hooking at the opening of her jeans. Chloe whimpered and arched her back to push herself to Beca’s touch, another noise escaped her lips, more of relief as she felt Beca undo the button to her jeans and pull the fly down. 

 

Beca looked to her and leaned down “Are you sure?”

 

Chloe nodded, taking deep breaths as she put her hand on the brunette’s cheek, looking back into her eyes “Are you?”

 

Beca just grinned and kissed her as she rolled her hips against hers, her lips then went on a travel from Chloe’s mouth to her cheek, jaw, neck and slowly went further down. Her tongue glazing over her chest. The thing she had discovered that she likes the most out of all this is the noises Chloe makes. It told her that she was able to make her feel good which was all Beca could ever ask for. 

 

Beca pressed her lips just above the waistline of her now loose jeans. Chloe arched her back again and cried as she tangled her fingers in her brown curls “Beca please”

 

Beca smiled against Chloe’s skin as her hands gripped onto her jeans and slowly pulled them down. 

 

_ Finally _

* * *

 

 

They both lay in the sheets, Beca lying on her stomach with her eyes closed as Chloe drew circles on her shoulder over her tattoo with her finger. It had been over an hour and they were yet to get into clothing and actually go for their walk. 

 

With her eyes still closed, Beca mumbled “Considering we were pretty much virgins when it came to this kind of sex we did a pretty good job”

 

Chloe giggled “ _ Pretty good _ ”

 

“Okay very good” Beca opened an eye and looked to her “Better than I even imagined and trust me I thought about it enough times”

 

Chloe hummed “Is that so?” 

 

“You have too”

 

Chloe cocked a brow for a brief moment “Maybe?”

 

“And?”

 

“Everything and more” she whispered, leaning down and pressing her over the work of art on Beca’s shoulder blade, then resting her chin on her shoulder and she looked up to her and confessed “You made me feel was more than any guy has ever managed to do...and so many times too”

 

“I don’t even want to  _ think  _ about guys being anywhere near you like that”

 

“You’re sexy when you’re jealous” Chloe whispered in low and purely seductive voice as she kissed her shoulder again, Beca just grinned to her. Chloe closed her eyes as she kissed across Beca’s bare back, her hand resting on her backside over the bed sheet. 

 

Beca let out a please hum and then reached for Chloe’s hand and threaded her fingers with hers “Come here and kiss me”

 

Chloe obeyed without any hesitation and moved back up to Beca as the brunette turned on her back and smiled as Chloe kissed her gently, gripping onto her thigh as she rubbed up against her that made them both let out a noise of their own. 

 

“I need to tell you something” Beca mumbled as she pulled back for a moment, looking into her eyes “It then leads to a question”

 

“Okay” Chloe cooed, brushing her nose against Beca’s “What is it?”

 

“I am looking at new apartments” she saw how quickly Chloe’s expression dropped and carried on talking before she dropped into panic with what she had just said “That place was only meant to be temporary until we could find somewhere better and well...I’ve been looking and I have”

 

“Becs you can’t just drop all this on me! We’ve just slept together for the first time and have told each other  _ everything  _ how we feel you can’t-”

 

“Chloe my lead up question was for you to move with me” Beca quickly, then seeing the surprise take over the redhead’s expression. Beca smiled and placed her hand on her cheek “Alright? I’d never leave you. I would've asked you even if we were just friends cause let's face it we’ve both outgrown that place and I’m well on my way to be in a bigger and better place and I want that better place to be with you. Cause it doesn’t matter where I live it won’t be home without you, you’re my home”

 

With tears filling her eyes, Chloe nodded “You’re mine too”

 

“So...you’ll come with me?”

 

“Of course” Chloe gently kissed her on the lips “I’ll follow you anywhere” 

 

Beca pulled Chloe’s body down onto hers by her hip, biting down on her lip before she attached her lips onto hers. It was safe to say that they weren’t going to leave their bed anytime soon, cause now that they had been intimate with each other and have made each other feel the way they just had in the past hour, neither of them knew how they would ever be able to turn this off now that it was very much turned on.


	16. Chapter 16

The rest of the week in LA was great, they did just about everything. Starting off on Sunday with the _Hollywood Walk of Fame_ and ending it with an amazing night at the _Santa Monica Pier_ where they went on all the rides possible, ate some amazing food and spent the night cosying up to each other as they parked themselves up on the bench and just looked out to the sea.

 

“I wish we weren’t leaving tomorrow” Chloe admitted, looking down at their entwined hands, her head resting on Beca’s shoulder “I’ve loved every second”

 

“Me too” she heard Beca whisper back as well as feeling her lips press against the top of her head. The week had been a Godsend for them, they were going to leave here feeling like a _real_ couple. It just being the two of them really allowed them to go for it without any third party getting involved or asking any questions, the girls of course bombarded them with questions the day they found it. _How did it happen? When did it happen? Are they actually going to be a couple?_ All questions they were happy to answer.

 

They both told their parents too, which was a big step. Chloe’s parents expected it and were just glad it was Beca, they loved Beca. Beca’s parents on the other hand were more surprised purely because Beca never opened up to them and gave any hints that she felt something for another woman, Chloe clearly did. Beca’s dad was clearly stunned and stumbled on his words many times, he asked the same questions the Bellas did but not in a tone as enthusiastic which she expected. It ended in him just saying as long as he was happy he couldn’t ask for anything more and the conversation with her mother was very much the same. It went better than she thought that was for sure, no crying over having no grandchildren from her mother and no _how could I have missed it_ from her dad. It was now all out in the open.

 

Chloe deleted the photo collection she posted of her and Chicago and reposted something else entirely. She still included him in it. The selfie they took together in front of the statue of liberty was what she included, she did like that picture and she felt no shame in putting it there. Afterall he was now her friend. Along with that photo though, she had posts of LA in there, including photos of her and Beca’s hand linked together and the last one being them kissing.

 

The caption was simply

_chlobeale: weird how much a week can change things #sixyearsinthemaking @becmitchell_

 

They got comments from people they haven’t seen since college, sending their best wishes and how much they were pumped over them getting together. Then getting some from their friends.

 

_dearbenji: well this is the best thing ever_

 

_chicagowalp_: big love to you guys_

 

_stacieconrad: I <3 my mommies _

 

Beca got a text from Jesse after seeing Chloe’s post, telling her how happy he was for the both of them and wished them all the happiness. Now that it was all out there and everyone knew, it was like a breath of fresh air. It made it feel even more real than before.

 

“Just think though, when we get home. We can start apartment hunting”

 

Chloe squealed and looked up to her “I’m so excited”

 

“Me too” Beca gently kissed her lips and smiled before she leaned in and kissed her again. Beca was going to ask Chloe to move with her no matter what, girlfriend or simply just friend she had always planned in asking Chloe to look for an apartment with her. She knew Chloe wanted out of that place just as much as she did. As nice as it has been, they never wanted to live their lives in it for too long.

 

“When do they think they’ll release the track?”

 

“Within the next few weeks. They want to drop it as soon as possible”

 

“I can’t wait till you climb the charts” Chloe cooed as she gently stroked the back of Beca’s neck. Beca rolled her eyes “Please Chloe I’m not going to climb the charts”

 

“The song is hot” Chloe stated with a smirk, then shrugging “And so are you. That kind of stuff sells”

 

“If you say so” Beca slapped her hands down on her legs and stood up, turning to Chloe and holding out her hand for her “Come on, it’s a pretty long drive back to the hotel and it’s getting late”

 

Chloe took her hand and as soon as she was on her feet, she stood close to Beca and in a low voice “Can we stop at our spot on our way back?”

 

“Our spot” Beca laughed “Aw sweetie _our spot_ and just about every horny teengaers spot too”

 

Chloe grinned to herself, she always loved it when Beca called her sweetie. Even though it was when she was teasing her. Going through the exit and towards the car, Chloe put her arm around Beca’s neck and whispered in her ear as she pulled her close “Well, I have at least one thing still in common with them”

 

“Shut up” Beca burst in more laughter as they got behind the wheel, Chloe then getting in beside her and cocked an eyebrow “Really?”

 

“No keep talking” the brunette quickly fired back as she started up the engine and _quickly_ got them on their way.

* * *

 

The plane journey back to New York was certainly less lonely than either of them felt before. Theo was getting a plane back within the next few days, he was going to be returning to New York and would hopefully leave any imaginary scenario he cooked up in his head with Beca behind him. Beca just couldn’t believe Chloe ever thought she liked him. How _anyone_ could believe she’d ever fall for a low budget Robert Pattinson who did nothing but stare at her until she felt insanely uncomfortable. Still, she put all of that out of her mind.

 

Her mind was very much on Chloe. Always on Chloe. Her mind fixated on how she had Chloe’s head resting on her shoulder, seeing in the reflection of the screen from the back of her seat that her eyes were closed. Beca’s fingertips drawing gentle circles around Chloe’s opened palm before threading their fingers together. Hearing the redhead hum in her sleep from whatever was running through her unconscious mind.

 

Beca still had to tell herself that yes, she _can_ hold her hand like this now. She _can_ brush her lips against her forehead before placing a kiss against her. It was no longer to be some kind of imagery in her head that she thought about every waking hour of every waking day. This was a reality now. Maybe when getting back to New York where their lives really were will help it sink in, cause this past week really had felt like some kind of fantasy. Maybe when they went back to their jobs and actual lives it would feel more real.

 

Not long before they were to land, Chloe stirred as she woke up from her hour long nap, nuzzling her head against Beca’s shoulder and grinning as she did so. She pressed her lips against Beca’s skin before lifting her head up and looking to her “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep”

 

“You’ve done it _many_ times before trust me I’ve gotten used to it”

 

Chloe just smirked as she made a murmuring noise under her breath, sitting up and looking at Beca properly, glancing to her lips and whispered “I think you enjoy it half the time”

 

“All the time, I’ll have you know”

 

Chloe just hummed, her smirk spread into a grin as Beca’s hand ran to her cheek when leaning forward and pressing their lips together. A soft noise projecting from Chloe’s mouth before she pulled back and said in a low voice “I love your lips”

 

Beca smiled as she stroked Chloe’s cheek with her thumb “I seem to be a fan of yours too” she went to kiss her again but was put on hold at the overhead announcement that they were due to land in five minutes and to prepare for landing. Beca looked to Chloe from the ceiling of the plane and gave her a quick kiss before putting her attention back on putting her tray up and putting on her belt.

 

The plane landed smoothly, though Chloe still clutched onto Beca’s hand like she always did due to her slight fear of flying. When they flew over to Copenhagen for Worlds she was more of a wreck when they had some turbulence, Beca’s hand was almost broken that time. They picked up their luggage and headed over to the taxi rank. They picked one up pretty quickly and remained hand in hand as the cabbie put their luggage in the back.

 

“I got the number of the real estate that Amy used to get her place. Gonna be meeting up with them tomorrow” Beca announced as they slid into the back of the cab, then looking to Chloe and smiled “You gonna join me?”

 

Chloe pulled an awkward expression “I might have to meet up with you. I’ve missed two weeks of vet school”

 

“They can’t fire you. It’s vet _school_ ”

 

“I know but they still expect you to be there nearly everyday”

 

Beca sighed and nodded as she slid her phone back in her back pocket and running her hand on Chloe’s thigh “I appreciate you bunking off school for me”

 

“Don’t make fun”

 

“I’m not” Beca laughed but still came off very unconvincing, she shrugged “Okay. Just text me when you’re done and come meet me, I probably won’t meet up with the estate agent till after I’ve done some hours in the studio”

 

“Sounds good” Chloe pressed her lips against Beca’s cheek before gently bumping her nose against it.

 

“This looks good on you” Beca muttered, her fingertips gently stroking Chloe’s bare forearm back and forth.

 

“What?”

 

Beca felt her cheeks go hot, knowing that the next part of that sentence was going to sound cringey once she said it out loud, but she had already said it now and Chloe wasn’t going to back down until she said it, Beca took her dark eyes to Chloe and cooed with a gentle expression “Being my girlfriend”

 

Chloe gasped out a grin, which caused Beca to roll her eyes and look away. She knew how cheesy it sounded by Chloe’s surprised and overwhelmed expression. Chloe gripped onto Beca’s waist and pulled her close “Awh, Becs, you’re so mushy”

 

“I knew it’d come out corny once I said it”

 

“I love corny” Chloe whispered, her lips being so close to Beca’s ear that she _accidentally_ on purpose caught her lobe between her teeth which caused a shiver to run down Beca’s spine. Chloe kissed Beca’s cheek and then put her hand on the other side of her face to turn her head back to hers and kissed her lips in a manner so soft it was clearly teasing. Beca whimpered, she _actually_ whimpered.

 

_Three years with Jesse and he couldn’t even get one noise out of me. One week with Chloe and she’s got out like twenty_

 

Beca quicky paid the cabbie and they got out and into the apartment. Beca threw her bag on the sofa bed that was now just a _sofa_ and spun around to Chloe, slamming the door with the redhead’s back as she pushed her up against it and attacked her mouth with her own.

 

Chloe let out a flustered and very much surprised moan but her body reacted all the same as it usually does, one hand pressing against Beca’s back with the other ran through the back of her hair. Beca’s hand gripped onto her hips and she spun her around, never leaving Chloe’s lips as she pushed her towards the table which led to the redhead sitting on it and wrapped her legs around Beca’s waist. Chloe’s back eventually ended up resting against the wooden table, Beca leaning over her pulled back for a moment and muttered “You know I think I’ve had a fantasy like this before”

 

Chloe laughed as she watched Beca look around their situation and then grin back at her with amusement. Chloe put her hands on the back of Beca’s neck, curling her fingers in her soft brown hair “And um...how did that fantasy play out?”

 

“Well” Beca gripped at the opening of Chloe’s blouse and gave it a heavy tug which ultimately ripped it open, causing the redhead to get a loss of breath. Beca looked back her and smirked as she shrugged “ _That_ was how it started”

 

“Did it end in you buying me a new blouse?”

 

“It _did_ end in you yelling but not about your clothes” Beca shot back in a low voice as she ducked her head back down and pressed her lips heavily back over Chloe’s, who moaned as soon as Beca made contact with her, their tongues brushing together as soon as Chloe’s mouth opened. Her hand gripped hard onto Beca’s backside over her jeans, pulling her onto her even more.

 

Beca’s head went further down Chloe’s body, pressing her lips against her throat, collarbone and chest. Chloe’s fingers still tangled in her hair whilst her other hand ran through her own, taking a deep breath once she felt Beca’s mouth go against her perfectly toned stomach “Jesus…” she whispered breathlessly.

 

Chloe then gripped onto Beca’s chin and brought her head back up “You see here’s the thing. In _my_ fantasy of this-”

 

“Oh there’s a Beale version of this?”

 

“Several...and in my version. Your mouth remained on mine and something else did the work”

 

Beca grinned to her and kissed her roughly once again, then whispering between the kiss as she settled her body further against Chloe’s “I call that a pretty good compromise”

 

Chloe smirked against her lips “And in my version the debt was repaid straight away”

 

“I’m beginning to like your version much better” Beca said in a animalistic growl as her grip tightened to Chloe’s body. Her palm flattened against Chloe’s bare stomach and soon made it’s travels south.

* * *

 

Beca met up with the real estate in the late afternoon which was great all around cause Chloe could get to her even quicker. She wasn’t in too much trouble with vet school, she didn’t lie about what happened, not exactly. She just told them that it was a _family crisis_ that had sprung up on her and she had no time to get proper authorization to leave. They let it slide and she was practically off the hook from it all, but she knew that she couldn’t exactly do it again.

 

She grafted for long hours from early morning and tried to catch up with any important details that she may have missed.

 

After a short while in walking around the place that the two of them had picked out to look at from the website of the estate agent, Beca got a text from her telling her that she was on her way.

 

“So what are we thinking with this one?” James, the estate agent asked as he walked into the wide open space of the living room where Beca was. Beca nodded as she slowly turned and looked around “Can’t fault it”

 

“Well like I said it’s a lot of money here. But our agency does the best deal possible for this apartment. We try to be fair”

 

“Yeah I looked at the other prices for ones just like this from different companies and I gotta say you’re not kidding there. I can see why Amy went with you guys”

 

James smiled and then raised his brows and said with a smile “From what your friend told me over the phone when she arranged us to get in contact, you won’t find the monthly payment too harsh”

 

Beca laughed breathlessly as she rolled her eyes “Yeah well it won’t just be my salary eventually” she looked to his confused expression and quickly clarified “My...my _girlfriend_ is going to living with me”

 

Her words came at just the right time as the elevator rung to announce the doors opening and the woman of the hour walked out. Chloe grinned to her as she walked over to her, Beca then smiling right back at the sight of her “Speak of the devil”

 

Beca’s hand met her back as Chloe came over to the her and kissed her cheek “Hi, got here as soon as I could”

 

Beca motioned her hand from James to Chloe as she introduced them to each other “Chloe, this is James. James this is my girlfriend Chloe”

 

Chloe then proceeded to giggle as she blushed and muttered “Girlfriend”

 

_She’s fucking adorable oh my gOd_

 

“Grow up, Chlo” Beca simpered as she slid her hand down from Chloe’s back, a lightly amused expression still written across her face. James just smiled at them and then left them to look at the place alone. Chloe looked around and then beamed back to Beca “It’s so cute!”

 

The apartment wasn’t anything too crazy, they didn’t want to jump into getting something as extravagant as Amy did. Then again they didn’t have as much money as her. _Yet_. They wanted something bigger for sure, but still quaint enough for them to make it feel more like a home. The living room and kitchen was all opened planned but the space in that alone was much bigger, in fact it was twice the size of their current apartment altogether.

 

There was then a spiral staircase that took up to another level which wasn’t a second floor but just a space above where it was essentially their bedroom. It was all brick on the side where the windows were to look out in the city which was something Beca cared for, it looked good. The thing that Chloe found she loved was from the space between the kitchen to the living room there was sliding doors that led outside to a cosy sized balcony garden.

 

She could picture them living here, they both could. Chloe could imagine them sitting outside on here, snuggled up together on one of those patio sofas whilst looking out at the view of the city. She could imagine her life here. With Beca.

 

“So” Beca stepped out on the balcony and met Chloe at the edge of it, leaning down against the wall as she gave the redhead a soft expression “What are we thinking?”

 

Chloe took in a breath “I’m thinking...that I love it”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. What’s the rent?”

 

Beca then sucked in a breath before addressing “Three and a half grand a month”

 

Chloe almost choked on the words. She knew it was going to be a big amount but hearing Beca actually say it still came as a shock. Going from $700 a month for the crappy little one that they had to that amount was crazy. But this place was twice the size _and_ was much nicer, in a much nicer area.

 

Beca ran her tongue across her bottom lip and took a step closer to Chloe, running her hand down her arm till their fingers gently curled together “Listen. I’m on five grand a month now, and that’s just the starting out wage. We can handle this easily, and when you become a fully qualified vet we’ll be even more secure”

 

She saw how Chloe looked unsure, she knew that she didn’t like the thought in living off Beca’s money but it was only to be temporary and Beca was going to have more money than she knew what to do with soon enough, Beca gripped to her arms “This place isn’t going to be on the market for long, and we need to get out of that apartment we never planned on staying there for as long as we did”

 

Chloe went to say something, something that was to do with her overthinking it. Beca hooked her finger in the belt ring of Chloe’s jeans and pulled her close “We’ve over thought a _lot_ the past few years. Why not just jump in? We’re set, Chlo. Our lives are finally on track, we have the great jobs, we have each other in every way that we wanted. We can have _this_ ”

 

Chloe let out a rather tearful smile as Beca’s hand gently ran to rest at her jaw and whisper as she leaned in “Just say yes”

 

Their lips came together gently and then slowly deepened, Chloe pushing her body further against Beca’s and practically melting into her touch.

 

“Oh-sorry” James said as he stepped out onto the balcony. Beca and Chloe quickly pulling back from each other and facing him, James let out a breathless and embarrassed smile as he shrugged “Sorry I just wanted to come back in to see if you guys have come to any kind of decision”

 

Beca looked to Chloe “I don’t know. Have we?”

 

Chloe glanced to the gentlemen in front of them and back to Beca. Giving her a long stare with an unreadable expression, she then dropped down into a loving smile as she nodded “Yeah”

 

Beca grinned to her. Wanting to kiss her so bad but she will leave that until they are actually alone so it can develop any further like she was picturing in her head right now. Beca gave Chloe’s hand a squeeze before walking over to James and holding her hand out “You got yourself a buyer”

 

James beamed and quickly shook Beca’s hand “Amazing! Great! I believe that you guys are going to be really happy here. Um so tomorrow morning will you be able to come round to the agency building to do the paperwork?”

 

“Yeah. Yeah won’t be a problem” Beca shrugged, smiling to him again. Chloe then hurried over like an excited puppy, gripping onto Beca’s hand again as she asked in a giddy hurry “So when do you think we’ll be able to move in?”

 

“Well with the paperwork goes through, I should say next week”

 

Beca then flinched as the redhead let out a high pitched squeal in her ear.

* * *

 

Beca popped the cork from the champagne bottle and grabbed two glasses. Quickly making her way out onto the balcony as Chloe sat on the patio sofa with her knees tucked up to her chest and a blanket draped over her legs, covering her bare feet from the slight chill. Chloe made sure as soon as they got back to their _old_ apartment last week that the sofa was the first thing to order for outside.

 

The apartment was so well designed when they were looking around it that Beca made a deal that for a hundred extra bucks up front, they’d get to have the sofa, bed and dining table that came with the place. The other smaller accessories they brought from their old place to make it more their own. They still had some things they wanted but all in due time.

 

Beca settled beside Chloe and handed her a glass before pouring the drink into her glass “I don’t know what to toast to more. The fact we’ve finally got our dream place together _or_ that we’re _finally_ out of that broom closet”

 

“They kind of go hand in hand” Chloe chuckled, leaning forward and giving her a quick kiss. Beca then whined and muttered as she shamelessly leaned back to her “What’s your hurry?”

 

Chloe grinned against Beca’s mouth and moaned as their tongues brushed together. Pulling back once Chloe almost spilt her drink on them from her body jerking when Beca’s hand ran between her legs, genuinely accidental but still she felt smug all the same. They then did what they intended to do and had their drink, clinking their glasses together as Chloe smiled “To our first night in our new place together”

 

“We got here eventually”

 

“You were worth the wait” Chloe hummed, running her hand over to Beca’s and taking a hold of it “And I don’t think I’ve said it today yet but I love you”

 

Beca looked at her lovingly and said in a matching tone whilst her stomach still proceeded to do somersaults at Chloe’s words “You have, twice in fact. This morning in bed and when we were leaving our old place for good”

 

“Third times a charm”

 

“Yeah...and I love you too”

 

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that I swear to God” Chloe whispered breathlessly as she leaned forward and took Beca’s lips with her own once again. Beca put her hand to her cheek and whispered “I don’t think I’ll get tired of saying it”

 

“You think the people who can see us from here are wondering who their hot new neighbours are?”

 

“I don’t really want to think about people possibly staring at us right now as some kind of fetish” Beca deadpanned, causing Chloe to snort a laugh and rest her forehead on Beca’s shoulder. Then pulling her head back up to drink the last of her drink and hold her glass out again for some more.

 

They sat there cuddled together and looked out at the view. Beca then looked to her after a few minutes of silence “Next week should be fun. Bellas reunion _two point o_ ”

 

Chloe grinned, brushing her nose against Beca’s cheek “They’re going to be so smug about us”

 

“Hell I’m smug about us”

 

“It’s going to be so fun, I’m so excited”

 

“Me too. I’ve missed us all being together”

 

Chloe smiled and pressed her lips gently on the bare spot of Beca’s shoulder where her shirt rests off. She glanced over to their now empty bottle and glasses and whispered “Should we go to bed?”

 

Beca looked down to her watch “It’s only nine”

 

Chloe then smirked and continued a low whisper as her lips moved to her cheek “I didn’t say anything about sleeping”

Beca was up in a flash. Gripping onto Chloe’s hands and pulling her up and into the apartment. She then grabbed the glasses and shut the sliding door as she put the glasses over on the kitchen island, her eyes then went to the redhead who seductively slouched down on the stairs that led up to the bed, resting down on her elbows. Her hair swept over and messy which made it ultimately sexy. Her t-shirt pulled up ever so slightly that made Beca desire to see her bare body even more than originally.

 

Beca quickly made her way over to Chloe and leaned against her. Clashing her lips over hers and both let out a pleasing noise of their own. Chloe put her hands on the back of Beca’s head and pulled her close. Then giggled as Chloe teased and pushed Beca back, slowly crawling backwards up the stairs. Beca bit her lip and went after her, gripping onto her leg to halt her and stole more kisses from her.

 

Chloe then turned and carried on crawling up the stairs with Beca still following her, she gripped onto the back of Chloe’s jeans and leaned over her from behind once they reached the top of the stairs, kissing her neck. Eventually they got on their feet for only a second before they landed down on the mattress. Chloe rolled her body onto Beca’s and lifted her shirt up. The brunette wasn’t wearing a bra in the first place which just made things easier for her as her lips knew where to go straight away.

 

Beca ran her leg up and down against Chloe’s as she let out breathless moans whilst the redhead gave her a treat, her free hand resting on the back of Beca’s neck before pulling her up for a kiss. Chloe was right, they didn’t sleep for another hour if not more. They spent over an hour under the duvet, exploring each other’s naked bodies as if it was still all new to them. They’ve had sex many times since their first time in LA but still felt like they were discovering new things about each other every time.

 

Beca was the first to fall asleep, before Chloe drifted she watched Beca for a few minutes. Watching her sleep was something she was guilty of before they even got to together, the back of her finger gently running down her soft cheek. She loved her so much it still felt completely crushing, but now it was a good kind of crushing which she didn’t even know was possible.

 

“You make me feel alive too…” Chloe whispered, laying a soft kiss on the tip of Beca’s nose before getting close, resting her head on the brunette’s shoulder and drifted to sleep herself.

* * *

 

**side note: I know it would most likely take longer to go through getting an apartment etc but for the sake of the narrative I've just made it a faster process**


	17. Chapter 17

Emily ran into the group hug outside the church. Well, the group wasn’t that whole yet. They were all still waiting on Amy, Beca and Chloe but they should arrive any minute.

 

“Where’s Bella?” Emily asked with a grin, Stacie then pointed over her shoulder with her thumb “With my mom inside the church. But what we’re all really here for is seeing Beca and Chloe let's face it. I love my daughter but these two finally getting together is the most exciting thing to happen us all”

 

“I never thought I’d live to see the day” Flo said in an airy laugh, then saying in a deadpanned tone “I only give myself two more years”

 

They all just looked to her but said nothing, her point was still relatable to them. They really didn't think they would see the day of the two of them to finally get their act together and actually get together. Cynthia Rose gave Emily an elbow “So you didn't pick up on anything when you were in a New York?”

 

Emily shrugged “I mean nothing more than we’re used to. The only thing was that it was pretty much flipped around and it was Beca in agony over Chloe having a boyfriend”

 

Aubrey then too shrugged her shoulders “Yeah and when I talked to Chloe she admitted that she will always care for Beca but she felt like she needed to move on, she really had no idea”

 

Stacie nodded as she vouched. Then Jessica and Ashley did the same, they had all spoke to Chloe the past few weeks and knew she had no idea. They had also spoke to Beca over the  past few weeks and was sure that Beca would say nothing. So what changed? They had all their questions lined up to fire at the, but they knew they had to save it for after the Christening. Stacie was soon being called into the Church, she looked to the seven girls in front of her and said in a more quiet voice “Tell Beca, Chloe and Amy I’ll catch up them after the service. I'll see you guys later”

 

It was only five seconds if not shorter a time after Stacie went in the church that the cab pulled up and Beca, Chloe and Amy climbed out of it. The girls all squealed and threw their arms in the air as they hurried to each other. Getting wrapped up in a tight group hug. Aubrey was then the one to address their new situation as a group “Thank _God_ you two came to your senses”

 

Chloe and Beca just looked to each other with smirks on their faces. Chloe nodded as she bit her lip and rubbed Beca’s back, her head turning back to the group “Believe me, we _know_ ”

 

Before anyone could say anymore, Stacie’s mother came to the door of the Church and called out to the cluster of people outside that the service was about to begin. Cynthia Rose looked at the two girls up and down and pointed to them “We got a shit load of questions ready for the reception-”

 

Emily smacked Cynthia Rose’s arm with the back of her hand and quickly whispered “You can’t swear at a church”

 

“We ain’t inside yet” Cynthia Rose shrugged as they all then made their way inside. Stacie had them sitting in the second row which they felt honoured about, every knows the first and second row are for family. It was the first time that they were seeing baby Bella and they couldn’t wait till afterwards where they could all surround and fuss over here, right now they saw from afar. Watching Stacie up there and be a loving mother, it melted all their hearts. Stacie told them that she wished she could make them all Bella’s godmother but she had to settle for her sister given that she was her niece’s godmother. Stacie’s sister would have been bitter as hell if she wasn’t made godmother, but the girls didn’t mind that much. They were all going to be the baby’s auntie anyway.

 

There was something Chloe loved about being in a church, it felt safe. And there was some kind of beauty in a prayer or a hymn that every time she heard one she was just in complete awe. Her family weren’t the religious type where they went to Church every sunday, but _God_ does her family love Gospel. It was one of the reasons she began to sing.

 

“Don’t you think it’s all kind of beautiful?” Chloe whispered as she leaned against Beca for a moment, Beca glanced to her and then looked forward again to the centre of the Church as the priest began to bless the two month old. Beca simple shrugged “Yeah I guess, this was never really in my growing up”

 

“Really?”

 

Again Beca shrugged “Not really, except for my grandmother's funeral and stuff. Never really had the chance to soak it up when I was younger but...I guess there is a beauty in it all”

 

“When I was little I used to always want to hide away in a Church like I’d be protected”

 

Beca turned her head to Chloe and gazed at her. She threaded their fingers together and then whispered in a softer voice than before “You got me for that now, right?”

 

Chloe looked to her and grinned, her stomach going all warm and fuzzy at her words. She just gave her hands a squeeze and the two of them took their eyes back to the service as the first hymn was just about to be sang. Beca didn’t know any of the words, but Chloe did and Beca kept quiet just so she could hear her. Though she could also hear Amy on the other side of her which really dragged down the mood. It wasn’t that long of a service thankfully, not out of disrespect but mainly just because they had all missed each other like crazy and just wanted to catch up. Stacie was even wanting to hurry it up so she could spend the rest of her night with her girls, every guy and his dog knows she hasn’t even had a social exchanged since Bella was born.

* * *

 

They all headed to the reception for the celebration which was just mainly an excuse for everyone to get drunk whilst the baby slept as being occupied by the grandparents. It was a nice place, pretty fancy which they didn’t expect any less given that Stacie’s parents were rich as hell. Before Bella was put down for a sleep, they all wanted to get to know the latest addition to the group. She was passed around like a parcel around the table they sat at. The baby was passed into Chloe’s arms and she melted as soon as the two month old instantly settled into her arms, making tiny quiet noises with her eyes closed.

 

Beca took it in complete awe. Kids were never on her radar or her plan, she’d be lying if she said that they were now. She still considered _herself_ a baby, but seeing Chloe light up she knew that she did want one, it was made crystal clear from the way her eyes gazed down at the child, the thing Beca took in awe and now knew was that in _years_ to come, if Chloe wanted a child then she no longer saw herself saying no. But she was talking no early than 33. Beca rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder as she leaned over to look down at the child, she had Stacie’s piercing green eyes and her nose. She was simply adorable.

 

“Stacie she’s gorgeous” Chloe said breathlessly, looking over to Stacie and smirking “You did good”

 

“Yeah I guess I’ll keep her” she dryly teased, holding her arms out as Chloe passed Bella over back into her arms. Beca told her that she would just admire the child and not hold because in past experiences with babies at family parties they always ended up crying when she held them and it was horrifying because she didn’t know how to turn them off when they started.

 

Stacie cradled Bella in her arms and then smirked back in the direction of Beca and Chloe “What we really want to talk about here. Is you two”

 

The rest of the Bellas then grinned and shifted to look at them, _finally_ they were able to attack the two of them with questions. Beca sat back in her chair, crossing her leg over the other as she grabbed her glass of whiskey “You guys have been dying for this”

 

“And like you haven’t?” Cynthia Rose quipped as she eyed the brunette who then remained silent and gave no answer back, she just sipped her drink whilst she felt Chloe’s fingertips ran down from her neck and then rested her palm against her back, the redhead kept her eyes on Beca for a moment when she heard Jessica ask “Where did Chicago fall into it?”

 

“Or should we say fall out” Stacie added on.

 

Chloe let out a frowning smile and a small stiff laugh as the light guilt of Chicago still hung. She looked over to them and shrugged “Chicago was just...I don’t know I still feel bad he was dragged into it. But I guess if he wasn’t then Beca wouldn’t have told me anything”

 

Beca bobbed her head whilst looking at Chloe and then shrugged as she looked back to them “Basically the torture became too much”

 

“How’d it happen?” Ashley then asked.

 

Beca scratched her forehead, feeling like she sounded like an asshole in this part of the story “I mean you guys knew that I kind of went off the radar and point blank avoided her for like a week cause I was concerned for my sanity-”

 

“Dramatic” Chloe muttered.

 

Beca held her breath as she glanced to Chloe and raised her brows “But true” she took her eyes back to the rest of them “So I’m avoiding her, not really enjoying life by doing it but...I ran into her at the bar we usually go to together, I ran back out. She followed me and I just kind of blurted it all out”

 

Aubrey squinted to the brunette “Awh, Beca. Did you pour your heart out in the middle of the street?”

 

“Don’t make fun, Posen it happened in the most hellish kind of way”

 

Aubrey rolled her eyes with a small smile and nodded, waving her hand “Okay. Then what?”

 

Chloe then took the reins and shrugged “Then we kind of went our separate ways that night cause our emotions were all over the place, the next morning I just realised that I still loved her so I told him everything”

 

Stacie raised her brows “And how did he take that?”

 

“He actually took it better than I thought, really sweet about it and kind of rooted for us”

 

Cynthia Rose hummed “He ain’t the only one we’ve been holding out for you two since we started college together”

 

Chloe arched her back against the chair as she nodded “God so was I”

 

Beca just rolled her eyes and put her hand on Chloe’s thigh “Then she found out I went to LA, only for a few days but I guess Chloe didn't know that and she flew out to find me, _did_ find me and here we are”

 

“Bold move, Chlo” Aubrey chuckled, to which Chloe just shrugged to “I wasn’t holding off any longer”

 

Emily then let out a sigh of relief “I’m glad it all worked out because I could literally see how much Beca was at breaking point it was like...Chloe in college”

 

Ashley held her finger up “Let’s not forget what they were both like _after_ college when they were both single but had no idea what they were doing with each other”

 

Chloe and Beca groaned and their eyes went rolling once again as the whole group mumbled their agreement with Ashley’s words, Amy then shaking her head "You two are like Ross and Rachel but without the on a break thing and pregnancy”

 

“Interesting observation, Amy” Beca deadpanned.

 

It went silent for a moment before Flo said in a higher pitched voice “So…” Beca and Chloe looked to her, Chloe shrugged “So what, Flo?”

 

“You two are _in love_?”

 

Beca looked to Chloe and smiled, gently biting down on her lip as she pushed Chloe’s hair behind her ear and said in a soft, loving voice “Yeah. Been pretty sure about that for some time”

 

Chloe grinned as she leaned forward and said in a voice just as loving “Getting on seven years to be exact”

 

Beca smiled before pressing her lips against Chloe’s for a sweet moment, within that moment all of the girls just quietly _‘aw’d_ and felt like they should be taking pictures or something. The pair pulled away when Cynthia Rose gleamed “This is great. Better than the time they made out and Beca threw up”

 

Chloe held her hand up “That wasn’t because of the kiss!”

 

Beca laughed, stroking Chloe’s cheek that was on her side with her thumb “I’m sure it wasn’t”

 

Chloe then looked back to her and mumbled “No, baby you’re not ‘sure’ you’re _certain_ ”

 

“I’m _certain_ ” Beca raised her brows to the group. The whole group just nodded and gazed at the two of them. Beca dropped her hand from her girlfriend’s cheek “Guys you don’t have to keep staring at us. We’re not going to vanish if you look away”

 

“We’re not so sure yet” Stacie squinted them.

 

Emily slowly nodded “We’re still trying to make sure we’re not hallucinating”

 

“Which happens to me all the time” Lily stated. The girls struggled getting used to calling her Esther so Lily became a nickanme and  _Lily_ was 100% okay with it. Chloe slid her hand back in Beca’s “I get that...I’m still the same”

 

Beca smirked to her and gave her hand a squeeze. She ran her tongue against her bottom lip and took a breath before stating boldly “Well guys trust me, this is legit. Okay? We get that you guys have been pulled through this just as much as we have, probably more since we’ve both bitched about our feelings to you guys separately. But we got our shit together and we’re _together_ now...we all on the same page here?”

 

The girls all looked at her with big loving expression on their faces as they just nodded to her. It still felt just as surreal to them as it did to Beca and Chloe. They had all been waiting for this for nearly seven years, Beca was right the girls did have to listen to them cry separately about how much they loved each other but were scared to say it.

 

Stacie changed the subject only _slightly_ “So how’s the new place? New love pad. New-”

 

“It’s great” Beca quickly cut her off before she on and on even more “It’s really great. Chloe’s already planning all the reunions we can have there”

 

“I’ve even wrote them down” Chloe said with an excited giggle.

 

_She’ll rewrite scenarios ten times I hope they don’t take what she says too literal_

 

But the idea alone seemed to very much agree with them. Stacie got up after a few minute of further chatter to go and take Bella who was now fast asleep and put her down in the baby seat which was with her Grandmother. As she did that, Beca and Chloe took themselves to the bar as some of the girls went to the toilet.

 

“They were calmer than I thought” Chloe smirked.

 

“Yeah they didn’t ramble as much as I _feared_ ” Beca leaned against the bar and quickly ordered the round of drinks for everyone before taking her eyes back to Chloe, her fingers ran along the bar and then rested over hers “But it feels good seeing them and talking to them about it. It’s like after telling my parents i thought it felt real but I guess actually seeing the girls makes it even more so”

 

“I feel that too” Chloe then leaned down on the bar, leaning more towards Beca “You know what the next topic is going to be, right?”

 

Beca just shrugged to her, to which Chloe then smirked and slowly nodded “Your single that’s going to come out”

 

Beca let out a self pitied laugh and groaned, turning her head away from Chloe and facing the bar centre forward as their drinks were pushed in front of her one by one. There was only so much fuss and compliments that she can take before she begs for it to be shrugged off, she was excited about the single but she was anxious as hell and would rather not talk about it until it’s out and fails like she presumes it will. The music industry was so hard to get into she couldn’t see how she could do amazingly. Chloe smiled to her and rubbed the brunette’s back, taking her mouth beside Beca’s ear and whispered “Step by step, babe”

 

Beca just hummed and bobbed her head as she felt Chloe’s lips press against her cheek before she took her handful of glasses and walked over to the table as Beca paid and took the rest.

 

Chloe was right, as soon as her ass touched her seat she was welcomed by all the girls leaning forward to her and asking her about the song. All insanely excited that Beca was putting forward as her own singer. Beca ran her fingers through her hair and tried to answer their babbling questions all at once by her answers, she shrugged as her hand dropped back down “It’s looking at being released the end of the next week”

 

“It’s going to be so surreal” Stacie shook her head “Hearing your voice on the radio. In the charts”

 

Aubrey then motioned her hand to Beca as she made the point “You’ve already been on the radio a few times with your Freedom cover”

 

“Yeah that thing really blew up” Cynthia Rose agreed as she took her beer in her hand. Beca then shook her head as she swallowed down her drink and pointing to Emily as she then made a point of her own “Yeah my voice and beats but it’s also Emily’s lyrics”

 

The group all hummed at the realisation, Aubrey and Flo who were at either side of the young girl gave her an encouraging shake. Beca looked to Aubrey and raised her brows “Seriously Bree thank god you hounded her about her songwriting. I’d be without a song right now I was struggling”

 

Emily grinned to Aubrey and nodded “Yeah, thanks”

 

Aubrey rubbed her arm and gave her shoulder a light nudge “Just wanted you to do what you love”

 

“Yeah and she’s getting paid for it too” Beca announced which caused Emily’s head to snap to her “What?”

 

Beca smirked and slowly nodded “You heard”

 

“But I thought-”

 

“Em you really think I was going to let us use your lyrics and you not get paid as any professional songwriter would? Please. You’re getting paid as soon as the song is released”

 

Emily’s eyes went to Chloe who nodded to back up Beca’s statement. Beca then waved her hand to her and assured her “Swear we’ll get it squared once it’s all out there”

 

Emily just nodded to her with an excited look on her face. Stacie then clapped her hands together and exclaimed “What if you get nominated for a Grammy!”

 

Beca shook her head at all their excited noises “Guys I am _not_ going to get nominated for a Grammy”

 

Chloe leaned back with her hand still resting on Beca’s thigh “And why not?”

 

Beca looked to her with her mouth open as she got stuck on what to say, then letting out a breathless laugh and eventually managing to speak “Because newcomers on the scene don't win those kind of things”

 

Aubrey squinted and said as she looked around “Isn’t there a _Best New Artist_ award?”

 

Chloe gasped in a tease “I believe there is”

 

Beca just took in a breath and then proceeded to just take a sip from her drink as her form of giving them all the silent finger which they knew she was doing since she has done it enough times over the years and they all just giggled at her like they were right now. She rubbed her lips together as she put the drink down and sighed “I guess i should be grateful of all the overwhelming faith you guys have in me that I’m going to dominate”

 

“You will dominate” Chloe said sweetly as she rubbed Beca’s hand.

 

Cynthia Rose then sat back and leaned to Stacie as she stated loud enough for them all to her, she held her hands up in Beca and Chloe’s direction “Now we’re seeing them as an actual couple, you realise how they are acting exactly the same as they were when they were _just friends_?”

 

They all hummed and nodded, Cynthia Rose then saw the glare she was getting from Beca and she then raised her brows to her and joked “I’d say without the making out but we all know that isn’t true either”

 

Beca then let out a small laugh and just bobbed her head to the teasing, them mumbling under her breath as she looked down to her fingers drawing circles in Chloe’s palm “At least the sex is new”

 

“Guys” Ashley pointed to Beca who was beside her and after a pause she nodded to them all and held her hand up “But the _sex_ is new apparently”

 

Beca swung her free arm which was closest to Ashley and swatted her with the back of her hand “Ash god damn”

 

Chloe just grabbed her drink and held it up “Ladies we all know I like a toast, so a toast...to Stacie’s beautiful daughter”

 

Stacie grinned to her “Awh, and lets not forget a toast to Beca and Chloe finally getting it in the sack” she kept her grin over to Beca who just stared at her and said with a deadpan expression “I hate you”

 

Stacie scrunched her nose to her and shook her head as she bumped her glass next to hers “No you don’t”

 

“No she doesn’t” Chloe vouched as she took a sip of her drink, Beca just eyeing her as she drank her own. Beca’s phone then suddenly went off, pulling it out of her back pocket she saw that it was the studio “Sorry guys. I gotta take this”

 

She looked to Chloe as she stood and muttered to her “Five minutes” she gave her shoulder a squeeze as she walked past her and excused herself to outside. They all watched her leave and once she was outside, their heads all snapped back to the redhead. Chloe had been much more open about her feelings towards Beca over the years than Beca had been about Chloe, Beca was much more reserved.

 

Aubrey put her hand on her friend’s arm and smiled “I’m _so_ happy for you, Chloe”

 

Chloe felt herself tearing up, she nodded as she looked down to her hand as it went over Aubrey’s and let out a rather blubbered laugh “I’m still not over it” she arched her neck back and looked up to the ceiling for a moment, wiping her cheeks with her free hand and then saying in a light sigh as she came back to their level “God, guys after all the... _shit_ I put myself through in being in love with her”

 

She looked over to Beca who was walking up and down the patio as she talked down to whoever it was on the phone “I gave up faith on _me and her_ a long time ago”

 

“We hadn’t” Emily said, shaking her head. With the rest of the girls agreeing with her, she let out a heavy shrug “Even when you were with Chicago-who was a nice guy, no doubt...I still felt like you two were going to come together”

 

Jessica nodded and vouched “I think we all liked Chicago...just...not with you”

 

Chloe muttered a small laugh and just bobbed her head as Amy then said “I’d like him with me”

 

They all just took in a breath and shook their heads as they swift past the comment, Stacie looked to her “So, Chlo. Is it everything you hoped?”

 

“Being with her you mean?”

 

Stacie hummed and simply nodded, Chloe’s smile soon spread out into a grin and nodded like a bobbling head, answering straight away “Yes. It’s more actually”

 

“More than everything” Cynthia raised her brows “Beca must really have game”

 

Chloe felt her cheeks go red, she just bit down on her lip which Flo then pointed to “Interesting”

 

Chloe then rolled her eyes “I thought you guys were asking how good the relationship is not how good the sex is”

 

Cynthia Rose slapped her hand down on the table “So the sex is good, called it” she held her hand up to Flo who then gave her a high five at their set up. Thank God Beca wasn’t sat here cause she would be highly unamused, she wasn’t really a fan of their sex life being paraded around the place but then again, it is all being done in her favour as being clearly good at it.

 

A whole six minutes afterwards, the conversation had officially moved on from Beca and Chloe after a long hour on the matter, Chloe saw Beca hang up the phone and drop her hand down to her side. She looked apprehensive about something, as the group dove into little conversations of their own, Chloe excused herself from her conversation with Aubrey and Emily and walked outside to see Beca stood by the pool.  

 

Chloe quietly stepped outside and walked up to Beca, swooping her arms around Beca’s waist from behind which made her jump but then let out a calming laugh.

 

“What are you still doing out here?” Chloe hummed, gently pressing her lips against Beca’s shoulder for a small moment “You hung up like two minutes ago”

 

Beca took a breath and rested her head against hers as she stared at the water “I’m just feeling a little nervous”

 

“Nervous?” Chloe lifted her head from resting down on Beca and looked to her “About this single?”

 

“Yeah I know it’s dumb and I know we’ve been over it like ten times this past week but…” Beca sighed and stepped out of Chloe’s hold only to turn and face her, she shrugged “I don’t know I guess the closer it comes to the release thing the more i want to pull the plug on it”

 

Chloe shook her head “Becs why?”

 

“Because” Beca ran her fingers through hair, closing her eyes for a moment and shook her head again “You know it’s great hearing you and the girls try to encourage how great it’ll be but seriously Chlo what if it bombs? You can’t say it’s not possible”

 

“I’ve never said it’s not possible”

 

Beca stopped her words since her words were going to argue against Chloe insisting it wouldn’t bomb but her answer clearly brought surprise. Chloe stepped closer to her and ran her hands down her arms as she muttered “Beca I’m not trying to keep you in any kind of bubble about this. Yes there is a chance that it might not be successful and you know what if it’s not  then its not. Like you’ve said to me before, releasing a single as the singer was always to be a trial”

 

“I know-”

 

“ _So_ , I’m not saying there’s no chance it won’t fail because there’s always a chance at failure at everything we have ever done. There was a chance I’d fail my exam into vet school but did you say that to me? No you didn’t you encouraged me and told me I would kill it and I did...you thought you’d fail getting up on stage for DJ Khaled the first time and what happened?”

 

Beca rolled her eyes and mumbled with slight embarrassment at the words “I went viral”

 

“You went viral! Beca your whole life you have assumed you’d fail and you’ve succeeded _everytime_ ” her voice dropped to being softer as her forehead brushed against hers “Because you’re amazing. We’re not encouraging you to make you feel better, we’re encouraging you because we have faith in you...hey” she put her hand on her cheek for Beca to look into her eyes which she then did, Chloe smiled and raised her brows “ _I_ have faith in you”

 

“I know” Beca mumbled with a small smile “It’s one of the things I love about you”

 

Chloe hummed as she threaded her finger in Beca’s “And I plan on spending every waking hour learning all the other things”

 

Beca gently bit down on her lip “You really think it’s going to succeed?”

 

“I think that if knowing you over these past six years has taught me anything...it’s to always expect nothing but the best from everything you do”

 

Beca looked at Chlo in complete awe, her hands resting gently on her face as she gazed at her and then grinned “I seriously love you”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah” she whispered sweetly as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against hers. Taking in a breath through her nose as she sunk into the embrace, her arms going around Chloe’s neck as Chloe’s pulled her in from around her waist. Her lips were so insanely soft that they were intoxicating, Beca could kiss her all day everyday for the rest of her life.

 

Chloe let out a sweet noise as she slowly pulled away and whispered breathlessly against her lips “I seriously love you too”

 

Beca grinned with complete warmth, bumping her nose against Chloe’s as she slid her body down from hers, getting back down from her tiptoes. She truly had never been this happy and it showed. Beca looked over to the inside when the group caught her eye and she saw them all huddled around the window with big grins on their faces and she _knew_ that Stacie and Aubrey had snapped a picture.

 

Chloe however just kept her eyes on Beca, with complete overwhelming love so much so that her breath got caught in her throat, she pressed her lips against her cheek before asking her “You going to be okay?”

 

Beca looked back to her, finding herself quickly drowning in her eyes. She leaned forward and gave the redhead another tender kiss before pulling away and nodded as she replied in a secretive voice “Yeah. I know I am”

 

Sometimes these little freak outs she has were worth it, god knows she has had a few over the years but _everytime_ she had them she felt better than before because it was Chloe who comforted her, it was Chloe who made her feel better than she ever imagined.

 

She was still nervous about what the future holds for her as an artist, it still made her stomach drop thinking she really was going to put herself out there within the matter of a week to the whole music world.

 

Chloe stepped back towards the building, threading her fingers loosely back in Beca’s and smiling to her “You ready to continue the rest of the night?”

 

Beca gazed at her before taking a step to her “Let’s go”

 

_But I look at those blue eyes. Those blue eyes which have shown and promised me nothing but love since I was 19 years old. I looked into those eyes and there is one thing I’m sure about. I’m sure that no matter what is going to happen, I’m never going to be alone. I wasn't just ready to continue the rest of the night with Chloe. I was ready to continue the rest of my **life** with her.  _

* * *

 

**AND IT'S DONE!!**

**I hope you guys have enjoyed this first installment of my Beca and Chloe story, if you have read the comments then you would know that I am in fact writing a sequel for Passing Ships and I'm really excited to share it with you guys and I hope you stick around for when I do. Thank you to everyone who has shown support through kudos and comments in these chapters it really has meant a lot. The sequel will be attatched as a _series_ to this fic and I will also post an announcement for when it is up. **

**Thank you again and I hope you've enjoyed this finale chapter.**


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